Hontiveros seeks halt to drug war, says Korean slay a consequence

Senator Risa Hontiveros. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

Sen. Risa Hontiveros did not mince words when she linked the abduction and murder of Korean trader Jee Ick-joo to the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs that has claimed nearly 7,000 lives.

During the Senate probe on alleged “tokhang for ransom” cases, Hontiveros said the killing of Jee in October last year may be a “consequence” of the aggressive style of the government’s antinarcotics campaign.

Hontiveros called on the PNP chief to suspend the war on drugs until the police ranks had been cleared of rogue cops. Jee was abducted from his Pampanga home last Oct. 18 under the guise of an antidrug police operation

“Para kasing itong pagkamatay ni Mr. Jee at 7,000 plus na pagkamatay ng ating mga kababayan ay nagiging matinding consequence ng war on drugs,” Hontiveros said, addressing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa. “Hindi ba’t panahon na, habang hindi pa nalilinisan ang hanay, tigilan na muna ang war on drugs.”

(It’s as if the killing of Mr. Jee and of the 7,000 plus Filipinos is a severe consequence of the war on drugs. Isn’t it time that while we are cleaning up the ranks that we stop the war on drugs.)

“Dahil napaka-aggressive ng ating estilo, lalong napagsasamantalahan at naaabuso ng mga tauhan natin sa PNP na masama ang ugali at walang pagtingin sa internal discipline,” Hontiveros added.

(Since the style is very aggressive, the more  the PNP personnel who are evil and have no regard to internal discipline will take advantage and abuse this.)

But Dela Rosa said the drug war could not be stopped, adding that it would be unfair to equate all policemen to the likes of SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, the prime suspect in Jee’s murder.

“I think hindi ko po pwedeng ipahinto, your honor. Gusto ko pong i-correct na ‘yung ibang pulis na involved sa operations, hindi po lahat ‘yun ay may katulad na mentality ni Sta. Isabel. In fact maraming pulis na namamatay sa amin,” Dela Rosa said.

(I think I can’t stop this, our honor. I want to correct the other police involved in operations, not all of them have the same mentality as Sta. Isabel. In fact, there are a lot of police who die.)

“Pasensya na po, hindi po maganda ang dating sa akin kapag nila-lump mo ang kaso ni Sta. Isabel at war on drugs. Pasensya na po, your honor. Isolated case po ito,” he added.

(I’m sorry, it just doesn’t go well with me when you lump the case of Sta. Isabel with the war on drugs. I’m sorry, your honor. This is just an isolated case.)

Hontiveros said a suspension of the war on drugs would allow the police force to push for reforms in its internal discipline.

For her part, Sen. Leila de Lima said the approach of the PNP chief and the President Rodrigo Duterte himself in the drug war may be sending the wrong signal for policemen to commit abuses. But Dela Rosa maintained that his instruction to his men was to operate “under the rule of law.”

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who was also present in the Senate probe, said the Korean’s case may be a part of what he called a destabilization case against Duterte, noting that the President and the PNP chief were the “faces” of the drug war. JE/rga