Man up, PNP tells officers in Reuters report on drug killings

Man up.

This was the message of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to a retired and an active police official who claimed that the PNP ordered its men to kill drug suspects in exchange for cash rewards up to P50,000 for each target in the name of President Duterte’s drug war.

“Man up. Don’t just hide behind the white cloth,” PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos said in Filipino at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Carlos was reacting to the Reuters report quoting an anonymous retired intelligence cop and another senior police commander, saying the PNP had been orchestrating drug killings, making them appear as if these were carried out by vigilantes.

READ: Police paid to kill drug suspects, plant evidence—Reuters report

The retired official also authored a 26-page report titled “The State-Sponsored Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines.” The document has been shared with the leaders of Catholic Church and the Commission on Human Rights.

Carlos refused to categorically deny the claims but he said the PNP “does not have much funds” to pay each cops a cash reward for killing drug suspects.

Not taking the allegations lightly, the PNP has started investigating the background of the cops anonymously quoted in the report.

“We should establish what’s the motive of coming up with that allegations against the leadership and organization. Our leadership has tasked (someone) already to look into these allegations,” Carlos said.

The PNP’s spokesperson also talked with one of the reporters who wrote the Reuters story, which came out on Tuesday. He admitted that he refused to give a comment because the PNP wanted to see the 26-page document first.

Carlos said he also requested a transcript of the reporters’ interview with their sources “to determine the identity of these personalities and their motive.”

But he assured the officers that they have nothing to worry about their safety if they are indeed telling the truth.

“Walang problema (sa security) kung magsasabi ng katotohanan at ‘yan ay will be backed up by evidence. Kailangan may somebody else, two or more who will say that this truly transpired and these are the participants,” he said. JE