Sinas on VP Leni's 'zero killings' in drug war: Cops need to defend selves

Vice President Leni Robredo’s push for zero killings in the war on drugs met National Capital Region Police Office OIC  Brigadier General Debold Sinas' skepticism on Friday, saying  police operatives need to defend themselves if armed drug suspects fight back.

"Kami din ayaw namin ng patayan but if you'll hear it from the police, we defend ourselves. Kapag kami din ay pinutukan na una, we have to defend ourselves also," Sinas said at a press conference.

"We will abide whatever the instructions of the Vice President but di naman siguro sa manual namin na pinagbawal na to defend ourselves. We will follow also the procedure," Sinas added.

But he assured the public that the NCRPO is always ready to follow the rules and regulations of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), which is now being co-chaired by the Vice President. 

Saying he is glad to work with Robredo, Sinas expressed willingness to have the Vice President in some of NCRPO’s anti-illegal drugs operations, but her security must always be guaranteed.

"She's the Vice President. I'm happy to work [with] anybody as to the success of our campaign..." Sinas said.

"Importante ang security niya. If there is that she requested to join the we assess na puwede, why not? At least makita niya 'yung police in action," he added.

Robredo has accepted President Rodrigo Duterte's offer for her to co-chair the ICAD, noting that her acceptance of the post does not mean she will no longer criticize the bloody drug war of the Duterte administration.

A day after she accepted the position, Robredo said she would push for zero killings in the government’s anti-narcotic drive, stressing that the success of the drug war will not be measured on the number of killed drug suspects. —LBG, GMA News