Marcos: Law enforcers to go after small-scale drug dealers

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he wants law enforcers to go after small-scale drug dealers while strictly upholding due process in its anti-drug operations.

In an interview with broadcast journalist Anthony Taberna, he said that his administration would carry out the anti-drug campaign without resorting to killings.

“So ngayon, in the same vein, part of the lesson of this election, let’s go back to ‘yung sa grassroots level. Kung inaalala ng tao, sinasabi, nagbabalikan (ang drugs) dito, sige, tuloy natin ‘yung malalaking drug bust,” Marcos said.

(Right now, in the same vein, part of the lesson of this election, let’s go back to the grassroots level. If people were saying that illegal drugs have come back, let’s continue the huge drug bust.)

“Tuloy natin… ikukulong natin ‘yung mga sangkot diyan sa drugs. Pero tingnan na muna natin ‘yung mas small offender," he added.

(Let’s continue, let’s put to jail those involved in illegal drugs. But let’s look at the small offender.)

Police visibility

Marcos said he talked to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and told him that it is not good to see areas which have been experiencing drug menace.

Marcos then mentioned the need for increased police visibility in those areas inflicted with illegal drugs.

“Sinabihan ko na nga ang DILG, nakausap ko si Sec. Jonvic. Sabi ko, tama rin naman, kasi hindi magandang tingnan ‘yung lugar mo maraming nagbebenta, maraming – maraming mga high na kung ano-ano ginagawa,” Marcos said.

(I’ve talked to Sec. Jonvic. I told him it’s not good to see areas where there are a lot of drug pushers and users.)

“That's why ‘yung aming na – bagong ano is ‘Cops On The Beat,’ na may tao doon. Kasi kung may tao doon, walang ginawa ‘yan, araw-araw umiikot nang umiikot, alam niya lahat ‘yan,” he added.

(That’s why we have this ‘Cops On The Beat.’ If there are cops there, they will conduct surveillance everyday.)

Marcos ensured that while concerned agencies focus on small drug dealers, due process will still be observed.

“Kasi talaga, iniwasan ko, ‘yung basta may suspect siya o may hinala o may sumbong, basta kung huli, papatayin na lang, di ba? Ah, wala. ‘Yun, doon kami lumayo,” Marcos said.

(I’ve been thinking, maybe there’s a drug suspect then he will just be killed? We don’t do that.)

Big syndicates

Still, Marcos said the operations against big time syndicates would still continue.

“Hindi naman namin ititigil ‘yung mga operation,” Marcos guaranteed.

(We won’t stop the operations [against huge syndicates.])

In his SONA last year, Marcos had said that his fight against dangerous drugs does not include extermination.

He has since expressed opposition to handling the drug menace with violence, an approach that is different from his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.

Marching orders

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday that it will come up with steps to intensify the apprehension of small-scale drug offenders as ordered by the President.

PNP public information office chief Police Colonel Randulf Tuaño said PNP chief Rommel Marbil directed PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) head Police Brigadier General Jason Capoy to work on Marcos’ order.

"Inutusan po ng Pangulo ang ating Chief PNP. Ang ating pong Chief PNP sa atin pong bagong PDEG officer-in-charge Police Brigadier General Jason Capoy po,"  Tuaño said in a press briefing.

(The President has ordered our Chief PNP. Our Chief PNP directed our new PDEG officer-in-charge Police Brigadier General Jason Capoy.)

"Mag-submit siya sa ating Chief PNP kung paano niya isasagawa ang kautusan ng Pangulo na kung saan idadagdag yung paghuli sa small drug offenders," he added.

(Capoy will submit to our Chief PNP how he will implement the President’s order adding the arrests of small drug offenders.) — with a report from Joviland Rita/ RSJ/ VDV, GMA Integrated News