Poe: Aquino admin really neglected drive against drugs, crimes

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO

Presidential aspirant Grace Poe pinned the blame on the Aquino administration for neglecting its drive against illegal drugs and criminality.

Poe also described the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), previously headed by her rival, administration bet Mar Roxas, as a “very weak” institution under this administration.

“We all want swift justice–even I want swift justice–but we also have to have a credible system. Sabi nga, hindi karahsan kundi hustisya,” she said in an interview with bloggers and digital media on Wednesday.

“Now, how can we have swift justice? I’m sorry to say, but this administration has really neglected our drive against drugs and crimes. The DILG has been a very weak institution with this administration.

“We did not have the face of, let’s say, like a Ping Lacson, or a face of that time maybe of Mayor (Alfredo) Lim, or the face of an Erap Estrada; going back to the time of FVR (Former President Fidel V. Ramos), remember when he was there, who was the head of DILG?

“So what I’m saying is if only the drive, and if only the people saw the effort of the government in really going after criminals and drug pushers, I think that would have been enough to pacify them,” she said.

READ: Poe: I won’t go easy on erring officials, fight vs crime, drugs

Unlike Duterte, who promised to solve criminality and drug problems in the country within three to six months in office, Poe said she would not give a timeline as to how long she could address the problems if she gets elected in office.

“What is my plan against drugs and crime? I don’t want to mislead the public and say that three to six months will be enough because whether we like it or not, we have to work through our judicial system, and not even during the time of martial law were they able to achieve that,” she said.

READ: Poe opts for justice, reward system in fighting crime

Poe then reiterated her plans, such as appointing an “incorruptible” and “capable” Philippine National Police chief, putting up a war room in Malacañang to monitor drug and crime incidents in every barangay, and putting up a cash reward system for areas with zero incident as well as informants who could provide information that would lead to the arrest of drug pushers in the county.

In the Senate, the neophyte senator pointed out her amendment in the anti-wiretapping law that would allow wiretapping on suspected drug pushers under investigation. JE

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