Panay groups hails PDEA takeover of war on drugs

ILOILO CITY — Church and human rights groups on Panay Island heaved a sigh of relief at the decision by President Rodrigo Duterte to exclude the Philippine National Police from the war on drugs, which Mr. Duterte ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to handle exclusively.

But they expressed apprehension that the designation of PDEA as the sole agency to wage war on drugs was a temporary arrangement designed to just tone down criticism of the bloodshed that went with the antidrug campaign.

“It’s a good decision in the right direction,” said Msgr. Meliton Oso, executive director of Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center. PDEA, he said, was “better prepared to handle drug cases by observing due process.”

Oso said he hoped the change would reduce, if not stop, summary killings of drug suspects.

The ecumenical group Rise for Life and for Rights in Panay also welcomed the President’s order.

“We hope this measure is not temporary,” said Fr. Marco Sulayao, the group’s spokesperson.