PBBM tells cops to use ‘reasonable, justifiable’ force in law enforcement

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to exercise restraint and maintain its integrity in its intensified campaign against criminality during his term.

In his speech commemorating the 121st anniversary of the PNP on Monday, Marcos reminded the police to only use “reasonable and justifiable” force in law enforcement.

Likewise, he said, such force should be always be used with authority, which he said “must be fair, must be impartial, it must be devoid of favoritism or discrimination regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, religious belief and the like.”

“It is only then that you can effectively sustain with great respect and wide support the authority that you possess as uniformed servicemen of the Republic,” Marcos said.

The President said he wants the PNP under the leadership of its new head, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., to improve on its gains in its anti-criminality drive in previous years.

“The PNP has proven its seriousness and intent to prevent criminality and solve crimes for peace to reign supreme in our land. In the same breadth, I would like to witness the same or an even higher sense of commitment, determination, and cooperation from all now that the new PNP [chief] has been installed,” Marcos said.

Marcos, however, made no mention of the controversial campaign against illegal drugs of the PNP in the previous administration, which may have left thousands of casualties and drew the attention of the International Criminal Court.

On Sunday, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the former PNP chief who led then-president Duterte’s controversial war on drugs from 2016 to 2019, had called on President Marcos to give clear signals on his administration’s directives in the war on drugs and terrorism, saying the law enforcers were in a tentative mode since Marcos did not include this among his priority concerns in his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

At the same time, dela Rosa said in a radio interview that he and ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, under whom he served as PNP chief in the latter’s first three years in power, were placed high on the hit list of illegal drug syndicates, saying: “I was the number 2 next to Duterte.”

Still, the senator indicated they are not giving up the fight against illegal drugs, stressing that the PNP should “enforce the law.”

The PNP anniversary was held in Camp Crame in Quezon City with the theme: “Matibay na Ugnayan ng Pulisya at Mamamayan, Tungo sa Pagkakaisa, Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran (Stronger coordination between the Police and Citizens Towards Unity, Peace, and Progress).”

Marcos said he hopes the theme will serve as a roadmap for PNP to upgrade its service and operations.