THE PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) on Thursday said it has achieved a lot and continues to work with other concerned government agencies in the constant review of the country's anti-illegal drugs campaign.
PNP chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar made this statement after President Rodrigo Duterte told the United Nations General Assembly that he had instructed the police force as well as the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review the conduct of the campaign against narcotics.
“We have done a lot in terms of strengthening transparency and accountability in the PNP. From the immediate actions on our erring personnel, the distribution of body-worn cameras, and the strong coordination with the Department of Justice for the review of cases relating to the campaign against illegal drugs, these all prove that we are not hiding anything and that there is no reason for us to do so,” Eleazar said.
He said this is actually consistent with the marching order given by President Duterte when he was appointed as PNP chief -- which is to do what is legal and what is right.
“Makikita natin sa sinabi ng ating Pangulo na hindi niya kukunsintihin ang sino mang opisyal na umaabuso sa kapangyarihan tuwing may mga operasyon laban sa ilegal na droga. Ito rin naman ang panuntunan natin sa PNP (We can see that the President is serious when he said he will not condone any official who abuses his authority especially when there are operations against illegal drugs. This is also our policy in the PNP),” he added.
Eleazar said they also made sure that all the police operations, even those not related to the anti-illegal drugs campaign, that resulted in the deaths or injuries of both the target of the operations and the police personnel are always reviewed by the Internal Affairs Service.
This way, he said the PNP will make sure that all personnel are following Police Operational Procedures.
As part of the protocol, Eleazar said the PNP will submit to the decision of the Chief Executive pertaining to the release of the documents on police operations on illegal drugs.
“As a law enforcement agency under the executive branch of the government, we are bound by time-honored protocols and these must be followed under the concept of chain of command—with the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government as our immediate supervisor and finally the President as our Commander-In-Chief,” said Eleazar.
Last month, the DOJ said it has completed its report on the initial 52 cases of law enforcement officers implicated in charges arising from alleged lapses during illegal drug operations.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said as of June this year, 81 criminal cases involving government anti-drug operatives are either pending in courts or undergoing preliminary investigation before the DOJ.
The PNP and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency have turned over to the DOJ the case folders of about 200 anti-illegal drug operations.
President Rodrigo Duterte said in his pre-recorded speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that he has ordered the DOJ and the PNP to review his administration’s relentless campaign against illegal drugs.
“We’ll sit down with the PNP chief in the next few days to discuss our report as well as the President’s directive given at the UN general assembly. We just want to do things the proper way,” Guevarra told newsmen.
Duterte also said the Philippines and the UN’s recent signing of a three-year joint program on human rights is a “model for constructive engagement” between the two parties.
Under the program, the Philippines and the UN will engage in capacity-building and technical cooperation for the promotion and protection of human rights.
The program also aims to strengthen the investigations and filing of appropriate administrative or criminal charges on violations of human rights, as well as to provide treatment and care services for drug personalities. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)
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