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Solon expects heated debate for PNP budget after deadly anti-drug ops


House Appropriations Committee chairman Karlo Nograles on Sunday said he expects a heated debate among his colleagues once the proposed P170.10-billion 2018 budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government reaches the plenary.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), an attached agency of the DILG, has stepped up its deadly anti-drug operations, racking up at least 90 killings in police raids in Metro Manila and Bulacan in the last week.

One of those killed was 17-year-old high school student Kian Delos Santos.

"Ine-expect ko pagdating sa plenaryo, it might come out as an issue. Pag-uusapan naman natin doon itong mga panawagan na bawasan ang pondo ng PNP. So ayokong pangunahan kung ano ang pag-uusapan namin sa plenary," Nograles said in a radio dzBB interview.

Senator Ralph Recto on Sunday urged Congress to conduct a closer review of the proposed P900-million budget for the PNP's Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded.

"Syempre ang magiging defense ng PNP is kung itong ginagawa natin, we should punish those responsible for... sa nangyari kay Kian and all the other, kung meron man, victims ng accidental shooting or itong pang-aabuso," Nograles said.

"'Yung mga nag abuso ay mananagot but the abuses ng cops na ito, ng mga pulis na nang abuso should not hinder the campaign of the government to eradicate drugs in the streets. So ina-anticipate ko na ganon ang magiging defense," he added.

Nograles said the administration's anti-drug campaign must continue, but rogue and abusive policemen should be punished.

"Kung hindi natin i-pursige yong anti-drugs campaign ni Presidente, the worst thing that can happen is syempre lumaganap na naman ang iligal na droga sa bansa," he said.

"But that's not to say we do not give justice to the victims ng abuses ng ating mga kapulisan. If found guilty at kailangan kasuhan, dapat naman talaga na kasuhan. At 'yung mga dapat imbestigahan, 'yuung mga pulis na dapat imbestigahan, mga rogue cops, abusive cops, dapat naman talaga ipagpatuloy ang imbestigasyon," he added.

The House panel has not yet terminated the budget briefing for the DILG, as many legislators still have questions to ask to the department's officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy and PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa.

Both failed to attend the agency's budget briefing last Thursday as they were in Ozamiz City with President Rodrigo Duterte. — Erwin Colcol/BM, GMA News

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