PNP says they have “basis” to show suspects fought back in police operations

September 27, 2017

The Philippine National Police said Wednesday they have "basis" that those killed in police operations fought back after a Social Weather Station survey that half of their respondents doubted the suspects retaliated.

"Our answer is that we have basis. We have investigation to show that there are those who fought back and I hope it would reach the people ...that we have evidence, conducting investigation that proves that they fought back", PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos told reporters in Camp Crame.

The SWS, in their survey on June 23 to June 26, asked the Filipinos whether they agree in the statement that "many of those killed by the police in the anti-drug campaign did not really fight against the police?"

The survey, with 1,200 respondents, and done from June 23 to 26 showed  "over half ( 54 percent) agreed, with 20 percent saying they strongly agree, with the statement that many of those killed did not really fight back against the policemen, while 34 percent said they somewhat agreed.

Another quarter (25 percent) were undecided, and the remaining 20 percent disagreed, SWS said in its survey.

"Incredulity over the 'nanlaban' reason is highest in Metro Manila, where 63 percent of the population believe that many of those killed did not fight back against the police," SWS said in its statement.

Among income classes, SWS said "the poor are more likely than the wealthy to disbelieve the 'nanlaban' reason for killings attributed to the police."

The SWS survey added that "nearly half think many of those killed by the police are not really drug pushers."

Carlos said there would be no police casualties if the suspects did not fought back.

"No policemen will get injured or soldiers. No victim will die. It only shows that there was resistance and danger because we lost lives", he said.

Carlos said 85 policemen and soldiers died as of Sept 16 in police operations while 204 were critically wounded.

He said 3,850 drug suspects died in police operations  from July 1 to Sept 15 that were investigated by the  PNP Internal Affairs Service

"We did not say that 100 percent all of the police operation done by our personnel is right. That is why we have filed cases on some of them", Carlos said.

Carlos said the way the question was crafted in the survey may affect the perception of the respondents.

"What the question is they will base it on their perception. Their perception was formed based on the factors available at that particular time of the survey. What are the questions contributed to that perception? Next...how was the  question crafted?", he said. Alanna Ambi/DMS