PNP to comply with SC order on drug war data, Palace says

April 4, 2018

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has no choice but to comply with the order of the Supreme Court to submit the information regarding the alleged death of over 4,000 individuals in the government's war on drugs, a Malacanang official said on Wednesday.

In a press briefing, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra, however, said any information that will be provided to the high court could be subject to certain security requirements.

"The Office of the Solicitor General has argued that there are certain security concerns that need to be addressed in connection with this matter. But since the Supreme Court itself has apparently made a final order for the production of these particular documents by the law enforcement agencies of the government, I guess we have no other alternative except to comply, subject probably to certain security checks or requirements that must be complied with and observed," he said.

Guevarra said the Palace expects the PNP to comply with the high court's order.

"If that’s the final order of the Supreme Court, all agencies of the government bound by that order are supposed to comply and follow," Guevarra added.

He said Malacanang does not see any adverse effect on the adminsitration's campaign against illegal drugs if the PNP would submit the data to the Supreme Court.

"We don't see any potential effect, because the law enforcement agencies are not hiding anything from these documents, except for the security, let's say possible witnesses and so forth and so on," he added.

Rights groups have been questioning the constitutionality of the PNP's Memorandum Circular 16-2016 or the “Oplan Double Barrel” and its implementing rules as provided under the MC 2017-112 or the “Masa Masid” project of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Thousands of drug suspects have been allegedly killed under this program since it was launched shortly after President Rodrigo Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016. Celerina Monte/DMS