Senator Leila de Lima. AP
The arrest of Senator Leila de Lima is an indication that the Duterte administration is winning the war on drugs, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said, echoing fellow presidential ally Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
“She was charged with drug offenses. That’s criminal. So meaning nagtagumpay tayo (we are winning),” Dela Rosa said in a press conference at Camp Crame on Monday.
Alvarez said the arrest of De Lima was a “victory of the war against drugs.” “It shows justice is working in our beloved nation,” the Speaker added.
Dela Rosa, meanwhile, insinuated that had the government failed to prosecute De Lima, the “drug empire” inside the New Bilibid Prison would continue to thrive.
“Kung hindi naaksyunan ‘yung problema sa droga, lalong lumaki ‘yan ngayon. Sobrang laki na kung hindi natin giniba ‘yung drug empire sa loob ng Bilibid. Napakalaki na ng empire na ‘yan,” he said.
(Had the drug problem not been addressed, this could become a bigger problem today. )
De Lima, who staunchly opposed the killings in the Duterte administration’s drug war, is facing illegal drug charges for allegedly profiting from the drug business inside the national penitentiary when she was Justice secretary.
The senator is currently detained at the PNP Custodial Center located inside Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Dela Rosa, however, appealed to the President to bring back the war on drugs because dealers and users are resuming their illegal activities.
Duterte’s bloody campaign against drugs has claimed lives of over 7,000 individuals, at least 2,000 died in legitimate police operation.