Dela Rosa ready to face questions on war on drugs

April 18, 2018

Outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald dela Rosa said he will face questions on the conduct of the war on drugs which the government began nearly two years ago.

"We are trained in the Philippine Military Academy to take responsibility of our actions. I will not run away from that. I want to tell them I have the guts to face questions if there problems," said Dela Rosa in a TV interview on Wednesday.

Human Rights Watch, in  a statement Wednesday, said dela Rosa will leave a police force "with a sordid human rights record unmatched under the Marcos leadership."

On Thursday, Dela Rosa will step down as head of the 190,000 man police force and will be replaced by Oscar Albayalde, current director of the National Capitol Region Police.

Human Rights Watch claims the war on drugs "has targeted mainly urban slum dwellers and resulted in the deaths of more than 12,000 men, women and children by police and police-backed vigilantes."

The government is claiming a much lesser number.

The International Criminal Court has started preliminary investigations but President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered law enforcement agencies not to cooperate.

"We are working under the executive branch of government. When the head says do not cooperate, why will I do the contrary? I will follow what ever the president orders," he said.

Dela Rosa said he wrote the solicitor general to request the Supreme Court for an extension to comply with the High Tribunal's requirement to send the PNP's records on the war on drugs.

"The documents we are preparing are very voluminous. We are reviewing that. That is why we asked for an extension," said Dela Rosa.

In his opinion, Dela Rosa believes that even if the PNP is ready to release the documents but the president does not allow them to do, these papers should not be released even if the Supreme Court orders.

Dela Rosa, in a separate interview, said after the change of command ceremony Thursday, he will take a cab to the airport and go home to Davao to rest. He will be assuming the reins of the Bureau of Corrections. DMS