No Leni-style 'palit-ulo' in Davao – PNP

DAVAO CITY – The Police Regional Office in Region 11 (PRO 11) and the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) denied any instance that the “palit-ulo” scheme, as alleged by Vice President Leni Rodredo, had ever been adopted by the local police in implementing the government’s anti illegal-drugs campaign under “Oplan Tokhang” or “Oplan Double Barrel.”

This was disclosed by PRO 11 Spokesperson Chief Insp. Andrea dela Cerna at weekly Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-PNP Press Corps Forum at the DCPO here.

Dela Cerna called Robredo’s allegations about the practice of “palit-ulo” in the anti-illegal drugs campaign as “exaggerated” and “fictional.” "Parang pelikula," she said. Dela Cerna underscored that it was not the policy of the police to kill a suspect accused of being involved in drugs, much more an innocent member of that suspect's family.

DCPO chief Sr. Supt. Michael John Dubria reiterated that “there is no Lenistyle ‘palit-ulo’ in Davao City.”

Dubria said the PNP will never be involved in such a scheme as this would be “tantamount to the commission of another crime, such as murder and kidnapping.”

In a video-taped message sent to the 60th annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on Narcotics Drug last March 16, Robredo bared the “palit-ulo” scheme allegedly employed by Philippine law enforcers to ferret out high-value drug targets by snatching their relatives in exchange for their surrender.