PNP says ”definitely” winning war vs illegal drugs halfway into Duterte term

July 1, 2019

As the Duterte administration reaches its third year,  the Philippine National Police ( PNP) said it is "definitely" winning on the war against illegal drugs even as official data showed at least 6,000 have been killed as suspects fight back during police operations.

Police General Oscar Albayalde, the PNP chief, told a press conference Monday a sign they are winning is the improvement in peace and order.

"I think if you will ask if we are winning the war against illegal drugs, definitely we are," said Albayalde.

"Even our community, they are the ones who are saying they feel safer now than before. So this is a clear manifestation that we are winning the war against illegal drugs," he added.

Albayalde said the improved peace and order nationwide is the result of their relentless campaign against illegal drugs.

However, Albayalde said the PNP still has a long way to go.

"We cannot quantify the problem on illegal drugs. What we are sure of is we are not yet done and maybe what we need for the next three years... we have to double time, we will double time more," he said.

"If our double time is still not enough, we can do triple time so that our people, our community can feel that our peace and order improve," he added.

Based on PNP data, around 50 police personnel were killed while 144 were wounded on their war against drugs.

Albayalde said the latest officer who sacrificed his life is Police Senior Master Seargent Conrado Cabigao, 37, from Rizal Provincial Police Office.

"But before he fell, Sgt Cabigao did what he was trained to do-- to die with honor and dignity of having accomplished the mission of neutralizing the two drug personalities who were the targets of the operation," he said.

"Sgt Cabigao is the 50th police officer who offered the supreme sacrifice in the PNP’s lonely crusade against illegal drugs since 2016," he added.

Albayalde said the PNP will bestow upon him the appropriate award and recognition befitting his gallantry in the line of duty.

He said the PNP's detractors must accept that slain drug suspects indeed put up violent resistance to evade the law. 

"Or do they want more dead lawmen to convince them some more?," Albayalde asked.

The PNP chief said the paramount objective of any police intervention is to e arrest the offender. 

Based on their data, 240,565 drug suspects were arrested in 153,276 separate anti-drug operations since 2016.

"PNP systems and procedures are focused toward this objective to make more arrests by enhancing the capability of our personnel through better equipment and training," said Albayalde. Ella Dionisio/DMS