Cops need reorientation on drug war — Lacson

With more than 50 percent of Filipinos convinced that many of the drug-related killings were unjustified, Sen. Panfilo Lacson called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct a reorientation of its members on how to carry out the campaign against illegal drugs.

A former PNP chief himself, Lacson said that the police leadership should take the results of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on drug-related killings seriously.

“If the facts and figures could be validated then there is a problem, a very big problem,” Lacson said.

He recalled how the PNP suspended its campaign against illegal drugs when news about Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo, who was ab- ducted and killed by members of the PNP inside police headquarters in Camp Crame, came out and that this did not result in a positive change in the campaign.

When operations were resumed, Lacson said he expected an improvement as a result of a reeducation of the police operatives, but things turned for the worse.

“When it resumed, we had Carl (Angelo Arnaiz), Kian (Loyd delos Santos) and Kulot (Reynaldo de Guzman). It got worse,” Lacson said. “I’d like to suggest to the PNP to go back to the drawing board until it perfects the operation.”

However, Lacson said that he does not support a suspension of operations because the drug problem is too big and the momentum should be sustained.

He said the current drug market in the country is estimated to be worth around P144 billion so the anti-illegal drug operations should not stop.

There are an estimated four million drug users in the country today and according to Lacson, each of them consumes an average of 0.15 grams a week.

“But the police should be reoriented. They should follow the rule of law and not take any shortcuts. Although it’s easier said than done,” Lacson said.

Another mix-up

Meanwhile, Lacson noted that President Duterte may have mixed up the names of the Asian criminal syndicates when he mentioned the “Bamboo triad” from Taiwan as the source of illegal drugs in the country.

According to Lacson, if the President was referring to the syndicate from Taiwan, then it should have been the Bamboo Gang.

If Duterte was referring to the triad in Hong Kong, then it should have been the Hong Kong Triad or 14K.

Lacson said that these syndicates are involved in different crimes such as illegal drug trade and prostitution.

Lacson said he believes these two syndicates are still active and present in the country.

But as to the Bamboo Gang being the principal source of illegal drugs and not their counterparts from China, Lacson said this is the first time he has heard about this.