Groups back PNP war vs drugs amid Senate probe

Different groups troop to the Senate to support the PNP and its war against drugs amid the chamber’s probe. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.net

Various groups led by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) gathered outside the Senate on Tuesday to show support for the Philippine National Police (PNP), which is at the center of the chamber’s probe into the spate of extrajudicial killings in the country.

READ: More witnesses to face Senate as probe on summary killings resumes

“Para sa drug lords, patay pa more (To eradicate drug lords, kill some more)!” some supporters chanted.

Men and women holding streamers, with one reading, “Salamat PNP sa inyong advocacy, katuwang ninyo ang barangay (village) Batasan Hills (Thank you, PNP, for your advocacy, Batasan Hills is behind you),” and placards bearing messages of support for PNP chief Director Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa lined up outside the entrance gate of the Senate.

VACC chairman Martin Diño said the gathering was meant to show support not only for the PNP but also for the Duterte administration’s intensified campaign against crime and illegal drugs.

Diño expressed fear that the ongoing Senate probe on the killings could disrupt the government’s efforts.

“Aba e lumalakad na ang droga, e papano ‘to kung nahinto ang mga ginagawa ng ating kapulisan? Papaano naman kaming nga magulang? (Paano) na ang pangarap nating magkaroon ng isang pamayanan na maganda, wala na naman?” he told reporters.

(Just how much worse will our drug problem be if the police do not do their jobs? What will happen to us parents? What will happen to our dream to have a peaceful and orderly community, should we just throw it down the drain?)

“Tandaan n’yo isa lang ang Presidente na nagsabi na okay lang na mamatay s’ya, okay lang na ang kanyang kaluluwa ay mapunta sa impyerno basta kami sa barangay ay matira sa paraiso. ‘Yan ang gusto namin na marating,” Diño added.

(Just remember that there is only President who said it was okay for him to get killed, for his soul to rot in hell just as long as people in the barangay experience paradise. That is what we want to achieve.)
READ: Duterte: I’m responsible for war vs drugs

He questioned the need of the Senate to investigate the killings supposedly in aid of legislation when there are already existing laws to address the problem.

Diño noted that during Monday’s hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights it was pointed out that there were more cases of extrajudicial killings during the past administration than the present.

Diño, who belongs to President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban party, was the candidate replaced by Duterte prior to the May elections. IDL/rga