Hontiveros to PNP: Investigate alleged practice of using detainees during anti-illegal drugs operations

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday raised alarm over the Philippine National Police’s alleged practice of using detainees when conducting anti-illegal drugs operations.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Hontiveros showed a video clip of a female detainee who admitted to working with the police during the anti-narcotics operations at a Quezon City mall parking lot, which resulted in the recent near ‘misencounter’ with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operatives. 
The woman in the video said that she was detained on February 3, but when asked why she was able to leave her detention cell, she answered, “May trabaho po kasi kami.”

“Common practice ba ng kapulisan ang paggamit ng bilanggo para tulungan sila sa mga anti-illegal drug operations nila? Standard operating procedure ba ito? It seems reality is stranger than fiction. The PNP leadership should investigate this serious allegation. Kung public order ang gusto natin, dapat sa protocols pa lang maayos at strategic na. Hindi pwedeng may kanya-kanyang trip ang iba’t ibang pulis,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros added that this is not the first time that a detainee claimed to be part of anti-illegal drugs operations. Reports on the Commonwealth Avenue shootout between the PNP and PDEA in February also revealed that another detainee, named Jonaire Decena, was used by the police to pose as a buyer of shabu from a seller who turned out to be a PDEA agent. Two PNP officers were killed during this ‘misencounter’ with PDEA agents.

The senator previously filed Senate Resolution No. 667, urging an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the current law enforcement protocols in order to avoid future ‘misencounters.’

“Malinaw na wala tayong malinis at matibay na sistema sa pagsugpo ng droga. Imbes na health-based o justice-based na pamamaraan, tila barilan agad ang solusyong gustong gawin ng ibang opisyal. Sa huli, sarili din naman nating pulis at ahente ang napapahamak. Sarili nating mamamayan ang namamatay. There needs to be a better way,” the senator said.

Hontiveros also said that the investigation into these ‘misencounters’ and near ‘misencounters’ should also look into officers who are illegally executing operations. National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said in an earlier interview that a ‘sell-bust,’ in which officers pretend to be drug sellers as a way to catch drug users, may have occurred during the February incident.

“If the allegations on the ‘sell-bust’ and the use of detainees during anti-narcotics operations are true, then it is alarming that our own police can freely skirt the law. Bakit ang lakas ng loob gumawa ng ilegal ang sarili nating kapulisan? Kung sino pang dapat nagpapatupad ng batas, siya pang unang lumalabag. Our law enforcement officers should clean up their act in order to restore public order and truly serve and protect the Filipino people,” Hontiveros concluded.