With PNP out of drug war: Bato worries crimes will surge

CEBU, Philippines — Philippine National Police Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa believes that the volume of crime might increase following the change of hands in the war on drugs.

Malacañang released last week a presidential memorandum, ordering the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to be the sole agency to conduct all anti-illegal drug operations amid simmering public outrage over alleged police abuse in the deadly campaign.

“Naa ta’y teorya nga kung mapabayaan ang drugs motaas pud ang krimen. This is something that we have to observe, kasi mapabayaan ang (war on) drugs,” dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa was in Cebu yesterday to award the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting to the police officer wounded during the shootout that killed alleged notorious hitman and murder suspect Jessie Largo.

Dela Rosa said though police will take the supporting role in the campaign against illegal drugs and aid the underman unit of PDEA.

“Pero naa ra man gihapon ang pulis nakatutok sa krimen,” dela Rosa assured.

“We are just here waiting for the orders of the president kung ibalik. Hulat-hulat lang mi kung ibalik og unta kayahon sa PDEA,” he added.

After stripping the police force of the authority to conduct anti-illegal drug operations, dela Rosa also said they will focus on cleaning its own ranks and continue going after rogue cops.

“Although gina-amin nato no, nga di ta perfect may mga miyembro gihapon sa organization na nagkamali, ang uban nanubra, ang uban nag-abuso but ato na giaksyonan  na unta di na managhan,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino, Police Regional Office-7 director, also assured that they will continue supporting PDEA-7 and improve their intelligence reports.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said he now expects the government to lose in its war on drugs while human rights groups condemning the crackdown are bound to win.

In an interview aired over state-run PTV on Friday night last week, Duterte, when asked how he expects to win the drug war after he inhibited the police from taking part in the crackdown, said: “Ako, frankly? I expect to lose it.”

In his speech in Dumaguete City also on Friday, Duterte said his move to sideline the police from the drug war was “fraught" with "so many dangers” and “so many grave consequences.”

“But if it works, then okay. But if it fell short of the expectation, malipay man ang pari (the priests will get happy),” he said.

Dela Rosa earlier admitted the PNP is to blame for Duterte’s drop in satisfaction ratings, adding that the killing of minors by Caloocan City cops was a setback in the war against drugs.

‘Crime volume down’

In a separate development, PRO-7 has recorded a “consistent decrease” in the total focus crime volume (TFCV) in the region since last year.

TFVC includes murder, homicide, theft, robbery, physical injuries, car and motorcycle theft, and rape.

An overall drop of 2,283 incidents or 27.36 percent was also noted.

But a slight increase of 463 incidents or 1.58 percent was recorded based on the comparative crime volume from March 1 to September 30, 2016 (29,353 incidents) and in the same period this year (29,816 incidents).

Moreover, PRO-7’s accomplishment reports from July 1, 2016 to October 10, 2017 showed that a total of 1,174,148 houses were visited by the police in their Oplan Tokhang or Operation Toktok Hangyo.

At least 123,417 alleged drug personalities also surrendered to authorities following the conduct of 8,724 operations.

The anti-illegal drug operations also resulted to the arrest of 13,500 drug suspects, while 229 individuals were killed in police operations.

The operations also resulted to the confiscation of 49,597.88 grams of shabu worth P585,254,984, and 735 firearms and 16 explosives.

Police were also able to uproot 63,000 fully grown stalks of marijuana plants. (FREEMAN)