MANILA, Philippines — The war on illegal drugs launched by the Philippine National Police has weakened, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said yesterday as he pushed for P50 billion to fund the PNP’s modernization over five years.
Dela Rosa, considered the architect of the Duterte administration’s drug war before being elected senator, said the proliferation of illegal drugs and the commission of crimes have a “direct relationship.” He served as President Duterte’s first Philippine National Police chief from July 2016 to 2018.
“I think (the PNP) campaign on illegal drugs has weakened,” he said in a dwIZ interview when asked about his views on the continued killings and drug arrests.
“You remember back then, the campaign was intense and almost everyone was affected. All crimes are drug-related, so when you hit illegal drugs hard, all other crimes shall follow, everything (crime-related) goes down as well,” Dela Rosa added.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic could be a factor in the PNP’s weakened anti-drug campaign.
Dela Rosa claimed that during his term as PNP chief, criminals, gun-for-hire and snatchers were in hiding for fear of getting caught by the police.
The senator advised the PNP to continue the campaign against illegal drugs even after the Duterte administration ends in 2022.
“Not because the Duterte administration will end, the illegal drugs campaign will also be stopped. The campaign should still be that intense. That should really continue, that’s the intention of the President, do not stop,” he noted.
Dela Rosa is also proposing a measure to allot P50 billion to fund the PNP’s modernization program over five years, saying the police force “needs a lot in terms of equipment” and “competent personnel.”