PNP unsure if police ‘winning’ drug war

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. is unsure if the PNP is winning the war on drugs.

Speaking at the 21st anniversary of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) yesterday, Acorda expressed uncertainty over police operations in countering the illegal drug trade.

“It is difficult to define what the exact parameters are to say that we are winning or not,” Acorda declared.

But he assured the public that the statistics are “good” when it comes to “accomplishments, anti-narcotics operations and number of arrests.”

Acorda also acknowledged corruption in the PNP following the pilferage of 990 kilos of shabu by a dismissed police officer during a sting in Manila in October last year.

Criminal charges have been filed against 48 police officers, two generals and a colonel over the shabu haul.

“We try to do our best to get rid of these rogue officers. We were able to file charges against them and we are just waiting for the court to come up with a verdict,” Acorda said.

He lauded PDEA agents for demonstrating resilience and professionalism in the face of countless challenges.

“They have placed themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities and safeguard the future of our nation’s youth,” Acorda said in his speech.