Government to comply with order on drug war

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang will comply with the Supreme Court (SC)’s decision ordering the Philippine National Police (PNP) to produce data on the deaths tied to the Duterte administration’s crackdown on illegal drugs.

The high court on Tuesday directed the police to submit a report on the almost 4,000 killings related to the drug war, denying an appeal filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).

The decision stemmed from a petition questioning the legality of the anti-drug campaign filed by families of slain drug suspects.

The OSG, which represented the PNP, had claimed that the documents on the drug war could not be submitted because they contain sensitive information.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the Duterte administration would follow the order subject to certain security checks.

“Since the Supreme Court itself has apparently made a final order for the production of these particular documents by the law enforcement agencies of the government, I guess we have no other alternative except to comply, subject probably to certain security checks or requirements that must be complied with and observed,” Guevarra said in a press briefing yesterday.

Guevarra said the Palace expects the PNP to comply with the high court’s decision.

“If that’s the final order of the Supreme Court, all agencies of the government bound by that order are suppose to comply and follow,” he said.

Guevarra said the court decision would not affect the war on illegal drugs, a centerpiece program of the Duterte administration.

“We do not see any potential effect because the law enforcement agencies are not hiding anything in these documents except for the security of possible witnesses,” he said. PNP spokesman Chief Supt. John Bulalacao said the police respects the recent order of the SC to submit all the documents pertaining to the war on illegal drugs but they will still seek the opinion of the OSG on the matter.

“We respect the SC order but we will depend on the advice of the SolGen (Solicitor General). We assure the public that the campaign of the government against illegal drugs is constitutional, legal and the implementation of this campaign is for public safety,” Bulalacao added. The SC ordered the PNP to submit documents that contain the names, addresses, police operational plans and other information of Oplan Tokhang from July 1, 2016 to Nov. 30, 2017.

Although the PNP has yet to receive the order of the SC, Bulalacao admitted that the police will need more time to produce the documents. He said the police might have a hard time complying with the SC order if they are directed to comply within 15 days upon receipt of the resolution.

Bulalacao said that considering the sheer number of documents not only in the national headquarters but also from regional offices, they will have a hard time compiling the documents.

He said the PNP might request the SolGen to make an appeal to give the police more time to submit the documents. Bulalacao said the subordinate units have yet to complete the documents and it will depend on the assessment of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management and other concerned offices of the PNP on how fast they will be able to produce all the documents required by the SC.

The SC has junked the petition of the OSG to reverse its earlier order mandating the police to submit all the pertinent records on the war on drugs. Some groups questioned the ongoing war on drugs following the public outcry over the killings of several youths during police drug operations. The PNP reported that more than 4,000 drug pushers and addicts were killed in police operations since the war on drugs was launched on July 1, 2016.

More than 50 police officers were reportedly killed during anti-drug operations. President Duterte has stopped on two occasions the war on drugs. The first order was when police drug enforcement agents kidnapped and killed South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo in Pampanga in October 2016. The incident was exposed in February.

The second incident was the killing of teenagers Kian delos Santos and Carl Angelo Arnaiz in August 2017. Earlier, Solicitor General Jose Calida cited national security in asking the SC not to go on with its order to the PNP. PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said that the PNP could not just disclose their documents, particularly those involved in high-profile cases, since doing so would compromise the safety of policemen.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said the PNP should immediately heed the high tribunal’s directive.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, also said the PNP should comply with the order since no one is above the law.

“While the PNP may seek guidance from the President being their commander-in-chief, they will have to comply or they may be courting a contempt citation. Worse, a deadlock could result in a constitutional crisis,” Lacson said.