PDEA chief Aquino: I didn’t ask for it, I still need the PNP

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Aaron Aquino said Wednesday he did not ask President Rodrigo Duterte to make PDEA the sole agency in charge of the government’s war on drugs.

“Didn’t ask for it. I still need the PNP [Philippine National Police]. I have only more than a thousand agents,” Aquino said in a text message.

In a memorandum signed October 10, Duterte told law enforcement agencies, including the PNP and all ad hoc task forces, to let PDEA “as sole agency” to conduct anti-illegal drugs campaign and operations.

For its part, the PNP said it will abide by the order of Duterte.

“We will follow the order of the CIC (commander in chief) and CE (chief executive),” PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said when sought for comment on the memorandum issued by the President dated October 10.

Carlos said the PNP will now focus on its anti-criminality operations and internal cleansing.

He added that they will still back PDEA when their help is requested.

“We will provide support to PDEA when needed,” he said.

Memorandum

In the memorandum, the President said that to bring order to the operation/campaign against illegal drugs, he ordered the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Customs, Philippine Postal Office and other agencies to leave to PDEA, as sole agency, the conduct of all anti-illegal drug campaigns and operations.

It added all information/data received by the NBI, PNP, AFP, BOC, PPO shall be relayed, delivered, or brought to the attention of the PDEA for its appropriate action.

The PNP was tasked, at all times, to maintain police visibility, as a deterrent to illegal drug activities leaving to the PDEA, however, the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations.

From July 1, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2017, a total of 3,850 drug suspects died in police operations. Authorities have maintained that these suspects fought it out with arresting officers.

Meanwhile, 85 police officers and soldiers have been killed while conducting anti-illegal drug operations while 204 have been critically wounded.

As of September 26, a total of 1,308,078 drug suspects have surrendered while 113,932 have been arrested. — RSJ, GMA News