PNP asks SolGen legal advice on releasing Tokhang reports

FILE: PIO Chief, PCSUPT John Bulalacao last January 31, 2018 in Camp Crame, Quezon City (Photo: Philippine National Police – Directorate for Personnel and Records Management)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) after being ordered by the Supreme Court (SC) to release its records of the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs said that it will seek a legal advice from the Office of the Solicitor General (SolGen).

“The PNP respects the Resolution of the Supreme Court but will take the legal recommendation of the Solicitor General on the matter. We assure the public that our campaign against illegal drugs is constitutional, legal and is implemented in the interest of public safety,” PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said in a statement on April 4, Wednesday.

The SC, on April 3, directed the administration to release its records of the drug war.

(Read: Gov’t ordered to yield records on drug killings)

While this is the PNP’s stance on the issue, SC already denied SolGen Jose Calida’s motion for reconsideration along with the order.

“En Banc Actions, April 3, 2018 | GR 234359, 234484, SolGen Motion for Reconsideration of the Court’s Dec 5, 2017 Order in the Petitions v Wat on Drugs denied; submission of the required reports within 15 days from notice,” the SC wrote on its official Twitter account.

PNP, along with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), said that they will be willing to release their drug war records as long as a higher office orders them to in relation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) probe.

(Read: PNP to release drug war data to ICC if Palace, DILG approve)

“On the part of the PNP we will. We will, provided there will be an approval from the higher office, in this case, the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) or Malacañang,” Bulalacao said on Tuesday, March 27,  in a Palace press briefing.

“This is precisely why we came up with Real Numbers so we can be transparent in the conduct of the anti-drug campaign. Now if the data will be summoned in relation to such hearing, PDEA will support in terms of data,” PDEA Director Derrick Carreon during a #RealNumbers briefing in February.