Uncoordinated PNP, PDEA drug ops revive call for Senate hearings
MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker called for the Senate to probe the second misencounter between the national police and drug enforcement personnel this year.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros reiterates her call to investigate current law enforcement procedures and protocols, after a recent 'misencounter' between Philippine National Police officers and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency officials at a mall parking lot.
"How many misencounters or near-misencounters do we need to have before they come up with a solution to this problem? We've been asking this since February. Until now there is still no proper process, and it happened again," Hontiveros said partially in Filipino.
"Is this gross negligence? Or is there corruption inside our agencies? There are still so many unanswered questions, so I do hope the Senate can look into this immediately."
To recall, separate buy-busts between the Novaliches police station drug enforcement unit and PDEA agents from the agency's Calabarzon regional office almost led to another shootout after the two stood off near a shopping mall in Brgy. Greater Lagro on Friday.
Just before that in February, four PDEA agents were injured while two PNP officers were killed in a 'misencounter' in an anti-illegal drugs operation.
The Senate did not push through with a hearing in March because the heads of the PNP and PDEA both caught COVID-19.
Hontiveros also filed Senate Resolution No. 667, urging the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the existing law enforcement protocols to avoid future 'misecounters.'
"Let's not let our operations go on with one foot in the grave. The list of collateral damage is getting longer because of the lack of coordination, but the rules to prevent these misencounters have not changed. Even civilians are caught in the middle," Hontiveros said.
"The lives of our officers have been lost. The lives of our citizens are being ruined due to the lack of proper policy. Instead of keeping our cities peaceful, we are even more worried. We need to assure the public that this can be prevented. "The families of those killed in the previous 'misencounter' also deserve answers that can bring them peace and justice."
Hontiveros previously highlighted that the PNP has a 2021 intelligence fund of P856 million while the PDEA has P500 million. In PSR 667, she also cited that the PNP had procured 2,600 units of body cameras and that their use by police units conducting anti-drug operations would be prioritized.
"They have millions in their intelligence fund, but where is the intelligence? Their body cameras number in the thousands, but where is the proof? Public order is what we're after, but why does it look like public disorder is what we get from these anti-drug operations?" Hontiveros asked.
"It has happened twice so there is no denying that there is a problem with their policy. Let's not let the agencies just regret it until they 'misencounter' again before the Senate takes action. We are still facing a pandemic, let's not add more security crisis,” she said.
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