PNP probes Reuters’ report vs. war on drugs

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is now investigating allegations on the government’s all-out war against illegal drugs. (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA—The Philippine National Police (PNP) is now investigating allegations on the government’s all-out war against illegal drugs.

In a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Wednesday, PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief and spokesman Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said that personal testimonies in the 26-page Reuters report were serious allegations.

Likewise, Carlos challenged the anonymous senior police officers who were claiming that police were behind most drug-related killings to come out in the open and prove their allegations.

“The (PNP) leadership would like to know the background of these allegations,” Carlos said.

“Don’t hide. Man-up,” Carlos told the police officers who spoke on condition of anonymity in their interview with the Reuters.

Carlos stressed that the PNP is now conducting an investigation into the 26-page report of the Reuters alleging that policemen were given “cash payments” for the drug suspects they killed.

“So no. 1, medyo mataas yung mga figures mga amount and clearly the Chief PNP has answered that that we don’t have that much funds, much more to spend that amount on such things,” Carlos said.

He pointed out that the leadership of the PNP has not issued an order for the conduct of such kind of operation.

“Unang-una iligal, bawal, so yun po pangalawa, hirap tayo sa pondo at di ho talaga nakalaan, wala tayong nakalaan na pondo para sa ganyan so talagang the figure itself, mahirap maging makatotohanan,” he added.

Carlos expounded that the 26-page report of the Reuters was merely a “rehash” of the earlier allegations against the war on drugs which have earlier been denied by PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

“That’s precisely why we would like to look into the entire report and all those have been answered in the past, nasagot na ng Chief PNP, the data we’ve been showing already as the days come from PRO (Police Regional Office) reports and then the issues being raised by the active and retired officer, parang inulit-ulit lang,” Carlos said.