Return of PNP in drug war means more bloodshed, HRW warns
During his speech at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija Wednesday, the chief executive said he has no choice but to bring back the lead of his drug war to the police force. AP/Aaron Favila
MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos should expect more bloodshed.
Human Rights Watch Asia Deputy Director Phelim Kine stressed this point Wednesday following President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that he will bring back the Philippine National Police on the forefront of his brutal war on drugs.
“The Duterte government’s apparent desire to resume the murderous drug war underscores the need for a United Nations-led international investigation into the killings. Until that happens, the number of victims denied justice and accountability will likely only continue to grow,” Kine said.
He noted that the resumption of police anti-drug operations was “not wholly unexpected.”
Kine said that Duterte might have been emboldened by the unwillingness of United States President Donald Trump or fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders to criticize the drug war slaughter during the 31st ASEAN Summit.
READ: Duterte says he will return drug war lead role to PNP
During his speech at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija Wednesday, the chief executive said he has no choice but to bring back the lead of his drug war to the police force.
“But as of now, just to parry, I placed it under PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency). But whether I like it or not, I have to return that power to the police because surely, it will increase the activity of the shabu,” Duterte said.
He said that PDEA might not be able to solve the country’s drug problem because it lacks manpower. The agency only has 2,000 personnel nationwide.
Last October, Duterte designated PDEA as the “sole agency” in charge of the war on drugs following the public outrage over alleged police abuse.
Early this year, the firebrand leader was forced to suspend Oplan Tokhang after the kidnapping and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo in the hands of some cops.
At that time, Duterte stripped the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct anti-illegal drug operations and transferred the campaign to PDEA backed by the Army.
But he later on decided to tap the police again in the anti-narcotics campaign, citing lack of manpower.
Duterte’s war on drugs, which has claimed over 12,000 lives according to rights watchdog, has received strong criticisms at home and abroad.
The government has disputed these numbers. According to the latest #RealNumbersPH data release, there have been 3,967 drug suspects killed in government operations since July 2016. Government officials, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, said all of those killed were drug pushers.
The data releases no longer include information on "deaths under investigation," a tally of murders and homicides that police have yet to determine motives for.
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