PNP: We’re winning war on drugs

MANILA, Philippines — As the administration marked its third year or the halfway mark of the Duterte presidency, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is “definitely” winning the war against illegal drugs.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the success of the drug war is manifested by what he described as an improvement in the peace and order situation across the country.

“This is a clear manifestation that we are winning the war against illegal drugs, dahil isa ito sa resulta sa kampanya natin sa illegal na droga, yung pag-improve natin sa ating peace and order situation dito, hindi lang sa Metro Manila pero buong bansa yan,” he said during a press briefing.

The bloody drug war has drawn criticism from local and international groups after the police campaign resulted in the death of at least 6,000 people in official police operations.

Albayalde rebutted the criticisms, saying that as the war on drugs enters its fourth year, the PNP has suffered 50 policemen killed in action and another 144 injured.

These incidents prove that there is violent resistance by drug suspects during police operations, Albayalde added.

“Fifty police officers killed is perhaps the painful proof that our detractors need for them to accept the fact that slain drug suspects indeed put up violent resistance to evade the law. Or do they want more dead lawmen to convince them some more?” he added.

The latest policemen killed was Sr. M/Sgt. Conrado Cabigao, 37, during an operation in Rizal over the weekend.

Albayalde said that there is still a lot to do in the campaign against illegal drugs and that there will be no letup in its implementation.

A total of 240,565 drug suspects have been arrested in over 150,000 anti-drug oeprations from July 1, 2016 to the present.