THE PHILIPPINE National Police chief has vowed to reduce killings in state-led anti-drug operations, a policy rebound from the previous administration that led to thousands of extrajudicial killings.
Police Chief Rodolfo Azurin said that the government’s anti-drug campaign was to focus on rehabilitation instead of neutralizing drug suspects.
“As much as possible we want a bloodless campaign. Although there could be times that our police force needs to defend themselves, that should not be the general rule,” Azurin told reporters in a virtual forum.
The police chief also adopted a “slightly different” approach compared to former police chiefs under former president, Rodrigo Duterte.
“The tokhang approach will not be as intensive but it does not mean that we will turn a blind eye to drug problems in the Philippines,” Azurin said.
The controversial Tokhang approach was popularized during Duterte’s term when police officers would knock at the drug suspect’s door to ask them to surrender.
“Oplan Tokhang (Operation Tokhang) resulted in most illegal killings in the Philippines. Police officers said they just visited homes to remind identified drug dealers or users to stop using drugs, but the suspects were killed on the spot for allegedly using firearms which the police themselves planted,” said human rights activist Rene Esteban.
Estaban pointed to the case of Kian de los Santos, 17, who was shot by police officers in August 2017. The police said De los Santos was carrying a weapon and fired shots at them, but video footage revealed he was dragged away to a secluded spot before being shot. The arresting officers were charged and found guilty of murder in 2018.
Azurin said police were reviewing procedures to effect the arrest of drug suspects to ensure such cases do not happen under his watch.
“The PNP wants to minimize as much as possible the killings of people involved or engaged in drug activities. This is not our primary goal as your police enforcers. Our goal is to implement the law,” the police chief added.
Compared to the 3,600 drug suspect killings during Duterte’s first 100 days as president, there were only 46 during President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s first 100 days, according to police reports.
Azurin, however, said the fewer numbers did not mean that the government has softened its stance on illegal drugs.
“Just because there were only about 50 people killed ... does not mean that solving the drug menace is not our priority. Perhaps adopting a different approach, yes, but certainly it does not mean we are abandoning the policy,” Azurin said.
Human rights activist priest Father Flavie Villanueva said the numbers did not matter so long as innocent civilians were still being killed.
“Thousands or less than a hundred, it really does not matter. The goal is not to reduce the killings. It is to stop them,” Father Villanueva told UCA News.
“Heaven cries even if there’s only one innocent civilian killed without due process of law. Every person has his or her dignity. And we must all treat each one of us having such,” the clergyman added.
Rights groups say more than 30,000 alleged drug users and dealers were killed in the deadly anti-drug war during the regime of President Duterte. (Joseph Peter Calleja / UCAN)
