MANILA, Philippines — Congress should use budget hearings to have the Philippine National Police explain how it will use a proposed P900-million budget for Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded, the campaign against illegal drugs, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said Sunday.
In a statement Sunday, Recto said that Congress needs to find out how the program will be implemented. "It should not write a blank check," Recto, a member of the Senate majority bloc, said.
"PNP will also get a P20-billion increase in its budget next year, to P131.5 billion, from P111.8 billion this year. Para saan ba ang budget na ito? Ano ang mga targets na kakamtin?" he also said.
He said both the Senate and the House of Representatives should look into whether the budget is enough to curb crime like shootings by motorcycle gunmen, and whether the money should be spent on crime deterrence instead.
"Hindi ba mas mainam ang triple patrols kesa dun sa double barrel?" he said.
The statement comes after public outrage over the death of 17-year-old Kian Lloyd delos Santos, who was shot by police in Caloocan City last Wednesday on suspicion of being a drug personality. Police said he resisted arrest but video of the incident belied police reports.
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Some supporters of the war on drugs insist that the shooting was justified and that he should not been out on the streets at night.
His death was just one of scores in so-called "One Time, Big Time" operations by the police last week.
"I expect that the review of the events on that fateful night in Caloocan which led to the death of a young man will be pursued in many fronts," Recto said.
"Kian's life was ended so dastardly that it has united the nation in anger and grief. This national pain can only be salved by the truth," the senator said.
Recto said the PNP's Internal Affairs Service should also justify its budget.
"The IAS is the tripwire of abuses and the whistleblower of bad deeds. Is it doing its job?" he said.
The IAS decided in favor of Superintendent Marvin Marcos and other police officers charged with homicide over the death of Rolando Espinosa, mayor of Albuera town in Leyte. Espinosa died in government custody as police were implementing a search warrant in his cell at the Baybay jail in November 2016.
“We leave the matter to the Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service to explain its decision,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in July when Marcos and 18 other police officers were reinstated.
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Sen. Grace Poe, also a member of the Senate majority, also called for accountability over Kian's death.
"Tama rin ang naging statements ng ating mga kasama sa Senado, kailangang malaman talaga natin ang tunay na nangyari bagamat may CCTV," she said.
"Dapat maparusahan ang mga abusado dito. Nakikita naman natin, maraming nang-aabuso talaga sa programa na ito para pigilin ang paglaganap ng droga. Yung mga wala namang—yung mga inosente, maprotektahan," she said.
The two senators' statements are just the latest, with Sen. Nancy Binay — also from the majority bloc — saying Saturday that the Senate will act on the deaths of minors in the war on drugs.
"To the rogue cops, you will have your day in the Senate investigations, you will all be made accountable for murder," she said.
Binay said that while she supports the government's campaign against illegal drugs, "we need to stop the trade of illegal drugs at the source." Both chambers of Congress have been holding hearings on P6.4-billion worth of shabu that slipped through Customs but was later seized at a Valenzuela City warehouse.
Nicanor Faeldon, Customs commissioner, has admitted that corruption still exists at the bureau.
"I also call on the leadership of the PNP to not turn a blind eye to these deaths; and investigate and arrest those responsible for the killings," Sen. Binay said.
Members of the Senate minority bloc have also called on the Senate to come up with a common stand on the killings.
"We cannot tolerate the alarming police impunity in the country. We need to investigate these killings of alleged drug suspects including a Grade 11 student in police operations," Sen. Franklin Drilon, minority leader, said.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who once led the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, has yet to issue a statement as of this post.