PNP to Callamard: What do you suggest we do to solve drug menace?

The Philippine National Police wants United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Agnes Callamard to suggest ways on how to deal with the drug problem.

PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos made the remark after Callamard, in a forum on drug issue at the University of the Philippines, said waging a "war on drugs" like the one employed by the Duterte administration only makes the problem on illegal substance worse, instead of solving it.

Callamard said that such "badly thought out, ill-conceived policies" only "foster a regime of impunity."

“What would she recommend on how to address the drug problem with an estimate of 4 million people hooked on illegal drugs? Then what is their better ways?” Carlos said in a press statement.

Carlos said the PNP was "open to all possible help or recommendation.”

He said the ways of the PNP is to reach out to the drug offenders, both users and pushers, and offer the avenue to change thru Project Tokhang resulting to 1,266,966 surrenderers.

Carlos said the Philippine government through the Departments of Health, and Social Welfare and Development extend all possible help to allow the drug addicts to be treated and rehabilitated either by community-based wellness and rehab programs or treatment in drug rehab facilities.

“The PNP thru the DSWD, DOH, LGUs (local government units) and other NGOs/sectors of society extend all possible help to allow the drug addicts to be treated,” Carlos said.

“This is just in a span of eight months,” he added.

Carlos said the PNP was hoping the UN would look at the Inter Agency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs (ICAD) and the National Anti-Drug Plan of Action (NADPA) which will show what is the policy and direction of the government to address the drug problem.

Callamard in her speech cited the 2016 joint commitment of the United Nations General Assembly on how to effectively address the world drug problem, noting that their comprehensive approach is focused on social development, public health, justice and human rights.

"It calls for more effective approaches than the punishment/punitive model that some governments have adopted," she added.

Callamard said that UN's comprehensive approach "urges governments to uphold the inherent dignity of all individuals, to respect, protect and promote all human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law and in the development and implementation of drug policies."

"The Joint Commitment also recognizes that drug dependence is a complex health disorder of a chronic and relapsing nature, whose social causes and consequences can be prevented and treated through, inter alia, effective scientific evidence-based drug treatment, care and rehabilitaiton programmes, including community-based programmes," she added.

Callamard said that this also recognized the role of civil society organizations through its drug-related treatment services that they provide.

"Throughout the joint commitment document, governments affirm the importance of systematic data collection, evidence gathering, scientific research and the sharing of information including the exchange of best practices related to preventing and countering drug-related crime," Callamard said. —NB, GMA News