PNP: No ‘kid-gloves’ treatment for cops in anti-drug ops cases

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday assured the public that policemen with pending cases related to anti-illegal drug operations were not being given “kid-gloves” treatment following reports that some of them were even being promoted.

PNP Spokesperson Sr. Supt. Benigno Durana said, however, policemen implicated in the drug war should also be given due process.

“We would want to make sure that while the accused drugs suspects should be given due process, we should also give due process to the ones running after the criminals,” Durana said in a Palace briefing.

“So that’s precisely what we have done in the case of those implicated in the Kian delos Santos case,” he added.

He made the statement a day after teenager Kian Delos Santos, who was killed in a raid in Caloocan City for allegedly fighting it out with the police, marked his first death anniversary on August 16.

The Inquirer reported that only five officers have been jailed and indicted in connection with the death of Delos Santos and teenagers Carl Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman, who were also killed in an alleged shooutout.

Four police officers, cleared of command responsibility, have since been moved to higher positions.

“So based on a thorough investigation, they found out that these officers in a way…you cannot ascribe command responsibility,” Durana said.

He cited that charges have been filed to those “directly involved” in the killing” of Delos Santos.

“And we are not, you know, treating our personnel with kid-gloves,” he said.

“In fact other than their criminal cases, there’s an automatic administrative cases being filed against these police personnel.”

“So again, while we can give due process to drug suspects, it is also probably right that we should also give due process to the ones running after the criminals,” he added. /kga