Rody: Give me another year vs drugs

A day after he brought the police back to his brutal war on illegal drugs, President Duterte yesterday said he needed one more year to end the narcotics problem, a mission that he described as a “sacred thing.”

Duterte, who previously vowed to end the drug menace within the first six months of his term, said he would perform his duty as president despite allegations that his anti-drug crackdown has led to summary executions.

“Wala na akong istorya pa na (I do not have anything to say

anymore about) extrajudicial killing. It will happen if it will happen. It cannot happen, if it cannot happen,” the President said during the oath taking of government appointees and officers of private groups in Malacañang.

“I hope to finish the problem. Maybe give me just another year,” he added.

It was the fourth time Duterte set a deadline for the illegal drugs campaign. During the campaign period, he promised to curb the proliferation of narcotics within the first six months of his term, a platform that helped him attain a landslide victory in the 2016 presidential race.

Duterte extended his selfimposed deadline to six more months in September last year, saying he underestimated the extent of the drug menace, which he said involved several local government officials.

Three months later, the President said the war against illegal drugs would continue until the last day of his term and until the last drug pusher is out of the streets.

More than 3,000 suspected drug offenders have been killed since Duterte declared war on illicit drugs, worrying critics who believe that the campaign has encouraged human rights violations and summary executions.

Duterte responded to fears that his decision to bring the Philippine National Police (PNP) back to his campaign against illegal drugs would lead to more killings.

“If it’s a social issue, then you turn the page, why? If it’s a social issue you have to, you know, study why it happened. Where did it start? How did it happen to the Republic of the Philippines? Do not just show a From Page 1 stunt and then go home. ‘Duterte, here are the people killed’,” he said.

“Dagdagan mo na kasi magbalik ang pulis (Add more because the police will return). You know, all you have to do is I said stop,” he added.

Last Tuesday, Duterte signed Memorandum Order No. 17, directing the PNP and other law enforcement agencies to resume providing “active support” to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the conduct of anti-illegal drugs operations.

The order authorized the police to join drug raids but they have to coordinate their actions with the PDEA, which remains the lead agency for the campaign.

In the order, Duterte said there had been a “notable resurgence in illegal drug activities and crimes” since the PNP and other law enforcement agencies were barred from joining the anti-illegal drug campaign.

He also claimed that there was a “public clamor” to restore the role of the police and other law enforcement agencies in the crackdown on illegal drugs.

Memorandum Order No. 17 reversed an Oct. 12 memorandum designating the PDEA as the sole agency for the war on illegal drugs.

The old memorandum was issued following the outcry over the killing of two teenage suspects by policemen last August.

Kian delos Santos, 17, a suspected drug runner, was allegedly shot dead after clashing with arresting officers but witnesses claimed he was killed even if he was already begging for his life.