Marcos runs after Narco cops

PRESIDENT FERDINAND Marcos Jr. vowed to build a strong case against Philippine National Police (PNP) officials involved in the illegal trade or in cahoots with drug traffickers as he ordered a thorough probe starting with senior officers.

Marcos’ warning came as Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos called on all police generals and colonels to tender their courtesy resignation as investigation begins.

Abalos said that the courtesy resignation of all senior officials is also an essential part of the government’s efforts to win back the trust and confidence of the people in the PNP and the fight against illegal drugs.

The President said it was part of his campaign pledge to carry out a different approach to the country’s drug problem, as he stressed his government’s efforts to cleanse the ranks of the PNP.

“We approach it in an entirely differently way. Alam naman natin na ‘yung problema sa drugs hindi mangyayari ‘yan kung hindi kasabwat ‘yung mga iba diyan sa police,” he said.

“Kailangan natin tingnan nang mabuti sino ba talaga ang kasabwat diyan, sino ba talaga ang involved, at sino’ng hindi na talaga pwedeng mag-serbisyo dahil associated na sila sa mga drug lord,” he added.

Marcos said the PNP has not reached the stage of filing cases against those involved in the illegal drug trade, saying it is still in the initial phase of organizing a commission that will review the background of police officials.

The commission, Marcos said, will look into the records of all the officers as the administration slowly reinstates those who are cleared of any drug links and build cases against those found involved in the drug trade.

“So tiyakin natin kung magkakaso tayo ipapanalo talaga natin at makukulong talaga kung sino man ang mga napatunayan na kasabwat dito sa drug trade,” the President said.

Duterte

It was unclear why the previous Duterte administration failed to weed out police officers suspected of having links to the illegal drug trade, but its deadly drug war only targeted small time drug pushers.

Duterte’s war on drugs also caught the attention of Washington and the UN Special Rapporteur, including local and international human rights groups, accusing the previous president Rodrigo of committing extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and crimes against humanity.

UN Special Rapporteur Morris Tidball-Binz, a forensic doctor, will visit the country this year, according to the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP).

ICHRP Chairperson Peter Murphy said as Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, and arbitrary executions, Tidball-Binz’s visit would be an important next step in the process of seeking justice for the thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings under the previous Duterte government, as well as the current Marcos government.”

As reported by Investigate PH, in which Philippine forensic expert Dr. Rachel Fortun served as one of the expert witnesses, thousands of extrajudicial and arbitrary killings allegedly took place under Duterte. 

The PNP admit to over 6,600 such killings. But despite the abundant evidence that these killings took place, only 25 police officers have been charged so far in relation to the war on drugs, according to Justice Jesus Remulla’s report to member states of the Human Rights Council last November 14. 

Other targets of alleged EJKs under Duterte’s war on dissent were human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, indigenous leaders, peasants, and labor leaders. 

“Given this recent announcement, we reiterate our call to the Marcos administration for open, transparent, and thorough investigation of these crimes, and justice for all victims and their families. This means investigation and prosecution of all perpetrators of such crimes, and an end to the state of impunity which has allowed so many members of the police force to avoid prosecution so far,” Murphy said. 

“ICHRP also echoes the call of at least ten Human Rights Council member states to the Philippine government to re-join the International Criminal Court and cooperate with the ICC’s ongoing investigation into the crime against humanity of murder during the so-called war on drugs,” he added. (Mindanao Examiner)