HRW researcher on PNP drug war stats: Minamanipula nila

A researcher from the Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday accused the Philippine National Police (PNP) of "manipulating" the data regarding the number of deaths associated with the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

"Minamanipula nila ang statistics," Carlos Conde said in an interview on News To Go,
adding the PNP wants the number to appear as "low as possible" amid scrutiny from the international community, including the International Criminal Court.

On Monday, police said a total of 4,521 drug personalities were killed under the government's campaign against illegal drugs, way lower than the 12,000 estimated by the HRW.

Conde, nevertheless, said the more than 4,000 death toll is still a big number and that an independent probe is needed to shed light on these drug-related killings.

"Even if we set aside the death under investigation [or] homicides and just focus on the 4,000 that the Philippine National Police claimed, that they're admitting na napatay nila because nanlaban, would you honestly believe na all of those 4,000 nanlaban 'yang mga 'yan?" he said.

"Kahit 'yung statistics nila, it screams for an investigation, it screams for an impartial investigation of some independent body para tingnan ano nangyari sa 4,000 na 'yan," Conde added.

Conde said it has been the PNP's tactic to "frustrate accountability."

"'Yan ang issue namin sa PNP, they have institutional resistance na maging accountable sila," he said. "Lagi silang may mga delaying tactics, but they have the duty and responsibility to release these documents dahil public records 'yan." 

"Sa totoo lang di kailangan ng Supreme Court order para gawin nila 'yan," he added.

The SC has ordered the government, including the police, to submit necessary documents regarding the administration's anti-illegal drug campaign. On April 26, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said it is 80 percent done preparing the needed reports.

"Speculative, totally untrue"

Sought for comment, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the allegation of Conde that the PNP is "manipulating" the data in the government's campaign against illegal drugs is "speculative and totally untrue."

"For transparency, the PCOO (Presidential Communications Operations Office) organized the Real Numbers Philippines, wherein law enforcement agencies are directed to submit their data with regards to government anti drug campaign," he said in a text message.

"The PCOO via Real Numbers oversees the release of factual and correct data. The repository of said data is PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency)," he added.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, for his part, said Conde's allegation is "irresponsible and baseless."

"Such irresponsible and baseless claim does not only attempt to discredit the PNP as a law enforcement organization but all other human rights groups that abide by the protocols on accurate gathering of facts and figures," he said.

"The PNP cannot just make falls report as we are bounded by set of rules guiding our conducts of our duties. On top of this, validations of these data are being done regularly to ensure that that what we release have factual bases," Bulalacao added. —Anna Felicia Bajo and Marlly Rome Bondoc/KBK, GMA News