[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
[/av_textblock]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Art urges prudence as cops back in drug war ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
Sunday, December 10, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
ILOILO City – Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. of Iloilo province was amenable to President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to let police officers actively take part again in the government’s antidrug campaign.
But Defensor urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be “more prudent” in enforcing the law against drugs.
Duterte issued Memorandum Order No. 17 directing the PNP to “resume providing active support to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations.”
Defensor said it was the right decision.
“Sang ginkuha sang Presidente ang responsibilidad halin sa PNP pakadto sa PDEA, makita ta nga there was a surge – nagdamo naman ang nakita ta nga violation sang anti-illegal drug law,” he told capitol reporters.
“I think the situation worsened,” he added. “I agree that…the PNP should take an active part, although the lead agency is still PDEA.”
In October Duterte barred the PNP from conducting antidrug operations.
This decision was “prompted by allegations from some sectors that summary killings of illegal drug suspects had been perpetrated by law enforcement agencies, particularly the PNP,” read part of the latest memo.
Defensor hopes police officers will be more cautious this time.
“Naintindihan na ina sang mga pulis. Nabal-an nila ang disastrous effect sang ila ginhimo. There [were] a lot of EJKs (extrajudicial killings),” he said.
“This time, I hope they will be more prudent. [Enforcing the law] should not be at the expense of the lives of the victims,” he added.
Duterte clarified that the PDEA will continue to be the lead agency in conducting antidrug operations.
Earlier Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, regional police director, said the Police Regional Office 6 has been assisting the PDEA in the antidrug campaign through intelligence sharing.
PDEA regional director Wardley Getalla had also admitted they were having difficulty catching high-value drug targets without help from the police.
In Western Visayas, PDEA has only 32 personnel./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
