Palace asked to put order for AFP to help in drug war on paper

Philippine Army soldiers have been backing up the Cebu City Police to secure the metropolis of the Visayas after the Sept. 2 Davao City bombing. (CDN FILE PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

The Department of National Defense has asked Malacanang to issue an official order for the military to support the war on drugs and to arrest police scalawags involved in illegal drugs.

“The DND has requested the Office of the Executive Secretary to issue an official order regarding this presidential directive to serve as a legal basis for our troops to follow,” Defense public affairs service chief Director Arsenio Andolong said in a statement on Wednesday.

“By the same token, the President’s verbal directive was to arrest “scalawag cops” should also be covered by a formal order,” he added.

The President told military generals on Tuesday that he needs their help in his campaign against illegal drugs and to arrest corrupt policemen.

On Sunday, he ordered the Philippine National Police to suspend its illegal drugs campaign after the killing of a South Korean businessman by suspected rogue policemen.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will now take the lead in enforcing the administration’s war on drugs.

More than 7,000 have been killed since the President launched the campaign against drugs, with at least 2,000 in police operations./ac