Duterte still undecided to bring back PNP in war on drugs

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has not made up his mind on whether he would return to the Philippine National Police (PNP) the lead role in the government's war on illegal drugs, his spokesman said Sunday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President told him last Thursday that he was still thinking if he would remove from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) the sole responsibility in fighting the illegal drugs.

"Noong magkasama kami noong isang gabi lamang, noong kasama namin iyong mga biktima ng Maguindanao Massacre, noong 23rd of November, sabi niya pinagiisipan pa rin niya," he said in a radio interview.

But he said he would again ask Duterte his decision regarding the campaign against illegal drugs when they see each other on Monday when

they attend a gathering of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

“So, lilinawin ko po itong Lunes na ito kung ano talaga ang sasabihin ko na sa publiko ‘no. Pero tingin ko, pinag-iisipan pa rin ‘yan ni Presidente hanggang ngayon,” Roque said.

In his previous speeches, Duterte disclosed his plan to allow again the PNP to take the lead role in the fight against narcotics to prevent the problem from worsening again.

In October, the President ordered PDEA to be the lead agency in the campaign against illegal drugs following strong criticisms on the increasing number of killings involving drug suspects. (SDR/SunStar Philippines)