PNP seeks help of village officials in war on drugs

PNP Chief Ronald De La Rosa. EDWIN BACASMAS

President Duterte’s top enforcer in his war on drugs is appealing for help from a group of barangay officials, saying their support is crucial to the success of the campaign.

Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, Philippine National Police chief, told members of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas (Philippine League of Barangays) that he was taking exception to “damaging” remarks made by Western media and First World officials about human rights abuses committed during the campaign.

If he were not a believer, he would have lost faith in it, too, as a result of these criticisms. he said.

The group brings together all village officials in the country. But Mr. Duterte, according to his officials, want the next elections for barangay officials scrapped because at least 40 percent of them are involved in drugs.

The President wants to appoint village officials instead to weed out those with involvement in drugs. Elections would be futile, the President was quoted as saying, because drug syndicates would simply finance those they wanted to win.

Dela Rosa, taking a cue from his boss, launched a tirade at critics of the high death toll of the war, including foreign officials and groups that denounce alleged human rights abuses committed in the antidrug campaign.

Saving lives

But he took a less harsh description of victims of drug abuse, saying they need help and should not be killed instantly. In contrast, Mr. Duterte has described drug addicts as hopeless.

The first phase of the PNP campaign, composed of “Oplan Tokhang” and “Oplan Double Barrel,” was suspended following reports of abuses, including one involving the killing of a South Korean businessman by policemen in the guise of an antidrug operation.

It has been relaunched and given new names—“Oplan Tokhang Revisited” and “Double Barrel Reloaded.”

Dela Rosa said he would not retreat from the war on drugs, the centerpiece program of the Duterte administration, which the President repeatedly said was what the people wanted when he was elected on a campaign platform to eradicate the drug menace.

Foreign critics don’t matter

“I do not care what the Europeans, the Americans say,” Dela Rosa said. “What I care about is what the ordinary Filipinos are saying, that they are happy with what we’re doing. I work for the Filipino people. I don’t work for these foreigners.”

The PNP chief said he considered the first Oplan Tokhang a success because of the support of the villages.

“Your clamor for the resumption of the drug war paved the way for the PNP to go back to the front line and resume operations,” he said. “We are now urging the strong and active support of barangays in the antidrug war.”

Among the revised rules of the PNP operations is a requirement for village officials to be present when police conduct Oplan Tokhang. “I am happy that you will be with us in the house-to-house visitations,” Dela Rosa told the Liga.

He, however, said the group should be instrumental in reducing the number of deaths in the war on drugs by encouraging drug users to enter rehabilitation.

He recalled seeing a group of drug users, who surrendered in Bacolod City, and pitying them as they had turned to be like zombies.

Shoot first

But he said if law enforcers’ lives were put in danger during an antidrug operation, they had no choice but protect themselves, meaning shoot first.

Double Barrel Reloaded, he said, had led to the surrender of 55,406 suspects, arrest of 6,205 and killing of 82 in what he said were legitimate police operations.

Dela Rosa admitted that the first phase of the campaign had been abused by rogue officers.

He said the rules in the antidrug campaign had been revised to prevent abuses. These include limiting the involvement of police officers in Oplan Tokhang operations to provincial police chiefs in rural areas and police station commanders in cities.

“Let’s please be vigilant so we won’t have problems anymore,” Dela Rosa said. “Let us, however, be reminded that these visitations and the entire drug war entail more than just complying with a commitment to win this war.”