MANILA – The war on drugs implemented during the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte was bound by law, according to his former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
Oscar Albayalde said in an interview over the weekend that there were no unlawful orders from the former Chief Executive and that there were no human rights violations in the previous administration’s anti-drug campaign.
“Ang pinatupad po natin is ‘yung ating tinatawag na Oplan Double Barrel, na wala naman pong nakasaad doon na every time meron kang nahuhuli ay pinapatay ‘yung mga nahuhuli,” Albayalde said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.
“Ang nakasaad doon is to intensify ‘yung operations against illegal drugs,” he added. “Wala naman po kaming natanggap na unlawful order coming from the Commander-in-Chief nun.”
“Siguro naririnig ng mga tao na kapag nagsasalita sa TV si dating PRRD, pero sa amin po wala siyang ginawa ni personal call, wala po siyang sinabi na ganun sa amin,” he further said.
Albayalde’s statement came amid rumors that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is set to issue an arrest warrant against former President Duterte regarding his anti-illegal drugs campaign in the coming months.
The former PNP chief also explained that it was motu proprio during their time to review every anti-illegal drugs operations done and assess what possible lapses could have been avoided.
“Motu proprio, pagkatapos po ng isang police operation, tinitingnan ‘yung kung ano ang pwedeng naging lapses, kung meron mang pananagutan ‘yung mga pulis natin sa baba. Meron tayong mga finile-an na nakita natin na that there is an irregularity sa kanilang police operations,” he said.
Albayalde further said he is hoping that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will maintain his disengagement from the ICC.
“We have a perfectly functioning justice system. Baka pagtawanan tayo ng ibang mga bansa dyan na parang hindi natin kaya yung sarili nating gobyerno,” Albayalde said./PN
