After release of Ateneo's drug war study, PNP says it's willing to listen

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it is open to suggestions from other sectors about the anti-illegal drugs campaign following the disclosure of a study by the Ateneo Human Rights Center which questions the police's Oplan Tokhang.

"I welcome the release of findings and conclusions of a study made by the Ateneo Policy Center on the PNP anti-drug campaign particularly on the left hand approach that encourages drug offenders to submit themselves to voluntary rehabilitation and reform," Police General Oscar Albayalde said during a press briefing.

"We are willing to listen and engage all sectors including the academe that are concerned and willing to assist the Philippine National Police in the fight against illegal drugs," he added.

The PNP chief clarified that there is no "monopoly of intelligence and strategies" in the police force, noting that the PNP always welcomes suggestions that can improve their ways on law enforcement.

"What we are open here, they might have something here that we do not know. We are open for suggestions... We have no monopoly of intelligence here... We have no monopoly of strategies here," Albayalde said.

"We are open to suggestions that could improve, number one, our law enforcement, 'yung aming pagtataas ng standard namin, and of course how we enforce the law.  Malay natin mayroon silang bright idea? Remember they are in the academe," he added.

On April 26, researchers said they have found that the official documents that form the legal backbone of government's anti-illegal drugs campaign endanger several human rights.

According to the researchers of the Ateneo Human Rights Center, human rights concerns begin at how the police "persuade" suspected drug personalities to change their ways.

"The implementation of the current anti-drug policies, now with the benefit of hindsight, reveals a pattern of human rights violations that must be addressed," lawyer Araceli Habaradas has said.

Albayalde said he already ordered police officials to get in touch with the proponents of the study so that matters on the drug war can be discussed.

"I have directed the Director of Operations Police Major General Mao Aplasca and the Director of Police Community Relations Police Major General Benigno Durana Jr. to get in touch with the proponent of the study for discussion to further improve the campaign," Albayalde said.

"It should be understood that Oplan Tokhang is essentially a Police Community Relations operation that supports the overall anti-drug strategy," he added.

He also reiterated that Oplan Tokhang is "voluntary in nature," adding that it is only the Supreme Court who can decide if the police's operation is unconstitutional or not.

"They're [Ateneo Human Rights Center] not the proper body or authority to say that it is unconstitutional or not. Hindi po sila ang Supreme Court," Albayalde said.

"Kung sabihin na ano, if they have a point... we will adjust accordingly. Hindi mo puwedeng sabihin na kalahatan unconstitutional. What specific acts on the Oplan Tokhang is unconstitutional?" he added.

7k reportedly killed

The Ateneo Policy Center said it has recorded more than 7,000 drug-related killings since the Duterte administration began until the end of 2018.

Independent from government figures, the academics' database now has information on 7,029 killings occurring from May 10, 2016 up to December 31, 2018, said Jenna Atun, a researcher with the Ateneo School of Government, at a Friday forum.

On the other hand, the government's count as of last March 27 reached 5,281 deaths of suspected drug personalities during operations from July 1, 2016 to Feb. 28, 2019. —KG, GMA News