DND seeks official order on role in narcotics war
THE DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) asked President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Wednesday to issue an order for the military to take part in his war on drugs, including granting troops powers to arrest “scalawag” members of the police.
Mr. Duterte said in a speech to army generals on Tuesday that he wanted their help in his illegal drug campaign, and to detain corrupt police. The DND’s request on Wednesday was for the President to make those remarks official.
The DND said in a statement it wants “an official order regarding this presidential directive to serve as a legal basis for our troops to follow.”
“By the same token, the President’s verbal directive to arrest ‘ scalawag cops’ should also be covered by a formal order,” it said.
Mr. Duterte’s police chief ordered police on Monday to suspend their anti- drug operations in the wake of the killing of a South Korean businessman by rogue drugs squad police.
The Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency has been tasked to take over the lead in the fight drugs.
‘VERY DANGEROUS’
Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson warned that involving the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the illegal drug war and giving them authority to arrest rogue cops could trigger an armed conflict between two government forces.
“I’ll stand up against it… we might end up having armed people, legitimate armed forces (fighting against each other). Very dangerous,” Mr. Lacson, a former police chief, said in a press conference yesterday.
Mr. Lacson also suggested that the President hold any decision and give the Philippine National Police time to carry out its “internal cleansing” program.
Senator Leila M. de Lima also expressed opposition to the proposal saying: “In the first place, it’s not supposed to be part of the mandate of the AFP.” — and