Senators prefer PDEA to lead war on drugs

Some senators are wary about the plan of President Duterte to let the Philippine National Police (PNP) again lead the campaign against illegal drugs. They prefer the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to lead the drug war as mandated by law.

“Since PDEA is legally mandated to be the country's primary agency in the anti-drug campaign, it would be ideal if the PDEA retained leadership and the PNP lends its full operational

muscle to fill up the lack in manpower besetting the drug agency,” Sen. Grace Poe said in a statement.

“We must not forget that the PNP has been involved in too many controversial operations, thus casting doubt on the organization's ability to uphold the rule of law and respect basic rights,” Poe added.

With the PDEA on top of the antiillegal drugs campaign, the government will be able to help rectify the manner or conduct of such operations.

“This is also consistent with the President’s desire to pursue a more vigorous anti-drug campaign,” she said.

In addition, Poe said the PNP must also clean its ranks and strengthen the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) which is in charge of investigating cops involved in questionable operations.

There is a need to see the drug problem from a wider perspective and authorities should consider the drug problem a health and socio economic issue that requires alternative mechanisms to address the drug problem from these angles, Poe stressed.

“The directives and goals of the leadership must always be in accordance with the law and due process, and must also stress the importance of human life,” she noted

Presidential prerogative Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said with PDEA on top, the anti-illegal drugs campaign would be more effective and “more in line with the intentions of RA 9165 that I principally authored.”

Sotto was referring to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act which the PDEA is tasked to enforce.

But Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III however, said it is the President’s prerogative if he wants the PNP to lead the drug war again.

“This is his administration and its declared priority is the all-out war against drugs (among others). Let him pursue that in accordance with his own strategy,” Pimentel said.

“I just want to remind all concerned and all involved to conduct the all-out war against drugs in accordance with law,” he said.

Nevertheless, Pimentel said the Senate will act accordingly on the proposed 1 900-million budget for Oplan Tokhang under the proposed 13.767-trillion national budget for 2018 which senators want to be realigned to the PNP’s housing program.

“Yes, we should be aware of the President’s latest pronouncements. May time pa to adjust (We still have time to adjust),” Pimentel added.

Cautious

But if the President’s impending directive happens after Congress has ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the 2018 national budget, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the P900-million budget cannot be reinstated anymore.

“The 1900-million appropriations deducted cannot be reinstated anymore unless the President exercises his veto power when he approves the national budget,” said Lacson, vice chair of the Senate finance committee.

A former PNP chief, Lacson said the PNP leadership has now become more conscious of the possible consequences of their actions this time around.

“Based on my talks with some senior grade police officials who were directly involved in drug related operations before PRRD (Duterte) took the task away from them and who will again be at the forefront in the event that they are redeployed for the same mission, they have now become more conscious, if not wary of possible dire consequences of the excesses committed by the men under their command,” he said.

“It now seems to be the common sentiment shared by many PNP personnel. This is mainly due to the many investigations conducted by the Senate that have exposed such human rights abuses like the Karl Arnaiz and Kian de los Santos and other similar incidents that put them on the spot and under closer scrutiny by different human rights groups and advocates,” he pointed out.

Should the PNP be called in to lead the drug war again, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito is reminding the police that the strong support by the President is meant to boost their morale and “is not a license for them to go on a killing spree.”

“PNP should not let the few rotten eggs destroy the reputation of the whole organization. Protection and respect for human rights should be upheld at all times,” Ejercito said.

“I am still confident that 90 percent of the police force are good officers of the law. Only a few bad eggs tarnish the reputation of the organization,” he stressed.

‘Tokhang’ nightmare

Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros warned the President’s plan would be “a slide back into the nightmare of Tokhang.”

“It is a return to the horrors of extrajudicial killings. It opens up the dangerous possibility of another Kian Delos Santos, of hundreds if not thousands more dead, and the further loss of trust of the public in our police force,” Hontiveros said.

“This is especially relevant given that the police officers involved in the death of Kian delos Santos were found to have killed him deliberately, and the recent discovery that elements of the PNP are providing security services to big-time drug personalities,” she said. (With reports from Mario B. Casayuran and Chito A. Chavez)