LUCENA CITY—Yet another Church leader declined a police invitation for priests to join antidrug operations to try to convince critics of the drug war that killings during drug raids are not the norm.
But Lucena Bishop Emilio Marquez has a different reason for turning down the invitation—he trusts policemen.
“I know policemen are God-fearing,” said Marquez.
“They don’t just kill. They don’t just commit wrongdoing,” he said during homily at Mass for the inauguration of the new city hall building on Friday.
Marquez said Supt. Arturo Brual Jr., Lucena City police chief, wrote him a letter inviting priests in Lucena to join the police in operations against drugs.
Sincere gratitude
“I told myself that priest do not need to accompany police in their operations especially here in Lucena because policemen don’t just kill drug addicts that easily,” Marquez said, adding that he did not respond to the letter.
“Don’t bother us anymore,” Marquez said addressing Brual. Brual said he respected Marquez’s decision.
“But we owe him a sincere gratitude for publicly declaring his trust of policemen. It was a morale boost to the force,” Brual said.
He said some members of other religious groups have been joining antidrug operations.
The invitation for priests to join antidrug operations came from PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who made the gesture at the launch of part two of PNP’s “Oplan Tokhang” (knock and plead) against drugs.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who was also a guest at the inauguration of the new city hall, thanked Marquez for expressing trust in policemen.
Appeal to pray
“I just want to appeal to Bishop Marquez to pray for the safety of policemen in their operations,” said the justice secretary.
Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police provincial director, said priests in the province had declined the invitation.
“But we understand them. We’re just asking for their prayers and guidance,” Armamento said.
He promised to Church leaders that police in the province would adhere to the rule of law and respect human rights.
He repeated an appeal to drug suspects in Quezon to reform and surrender to prevent more deaths.
“No policeman is happy pulling the trigger,” Armamento said.
A report made by the provincial police on part two of the drug campaign, dubbed “Project Double Barrel,” from July 2016 to March this year showed 25 dead in police operations and 34 cases of deaths under investigation or DUI.
Dramatic results
Armamento said investigations on most DUI cases were moving. He declined to elaborate. Police, he said, were in contact with victims’ families to give them updates.
He expressed confidence that more towns in the province would be declared drug free.
The drug campaign in the province, he said, “had been reaping dramatic results.”
At least four towns—Pitogo, Plaridel, General Luna and the island town of Quezon—had been declared drug free.