‘One-strike’ for cops’ failure to solve killings rejected

Amid the increasing number of suspected drug offenders getting killed by vigilante groups, Philippine National Police ( PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa is not inclined to impose a one-strike policy on his police commanders for their failure to solve the so-called deaths under investigation (DUIs).

Dela Rosa said he would not impose the punitive methods on police commanders in the same manner as indiscriminate firing cases.

Dela Rosa implemented this policy to attain a zero- casualty target during the New Year’s Eve festivities, warning police officers of administrative sanctions if the person involved in indiscriminate firing is not caught within 24 hours.

Dela Rosa, however, said he is not keen on imposing this directive on cases where unidentified men kill known drug suspects.

“The indiscriminate firing is okay because we only guarded one day but if we are going to apply it on DUI cases, we will lose all our commanders. Nobody will be left,” he said.

Dela Rosa stressed the need to strike a balance where a policy must be attainable and realistic. “If you will implement a policy that you can’t achieve, you will look silly. If I will impose that kind of policy it’s as if I am telling them to forget our war on drugs,” he said.

From July 1, 2016 to Jan. 2, 2017, a total of 3,502 people have been killed under questionable circumstances. Of the number, 3,330 were civilians while the rest were government officials, employees and law enforcers.

Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption ( VACC) founding chairman Dante Jimenez raised concerns over the deaths of innocent people, which had been branded as “collateral damage” in the government’s anti-drugs campaign.

“We had an initial assessment where it seems a lot of people whom President Duterte called as collateral damage and we call collateral victims,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez cited the recent case in Caloocan City where masked gunmen killed seven people, five of whom were teenagers. Police later claimed the incident stemmed from a conflict between drug syndicates.

Asked if he is open to the proposal of the VACC for the creation of a special task force, Dela Rosa said he would study the matter. “Let us see.”