Callamard report on drug war “too early”: PNP spokesman

May 6, 2017

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said a remark of United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions Agnes Callamard that the war on illegal drugs does not work is premature. Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, PNP spokesman, said over dzBB on Saturday: "The current assessment or statement by Miss Calamard, it appears that it's too early." Callamard said during a drug policy forum at the University of the Philippines the war on drugs will result more problems for governments implementing it, without naming any country, "The general assembly of the world's government recognized explicitly that the 'war on drugs' - be it community based, national or global - does not work," Callamard said. Carlos said :”what we want to know from them is what is the best way they are saying that is going to work." . Carlos challenged Callamard to give solutions. "What would she recommend on how to address the drug problem with an estimate of P4 million people hooked on illegal drugs?" Carlos said. Carlos said the PNP’s anti-drug campaign has resulted in the surrender of around 1.2 million suspected drug dealers and users who opted to undergo rehabilitation. "The way of the PNP is to reach out to the drug offenders and offer the avenue to change," he said. Since police  resumed its war on drugs  last March, 183 alleged offenders were killed and 12,766 arrested in police operations. At least 2,600 suspected drug offenders were killed in police  operations since July until the campaign was suspended last January following reports some policemen used this operation for personal means. A South Korean businessman was arrested in the guise of an anti-drug campaign in Pampanga last October. He was allegedly brought to Camp Crame, the national police headquarters, where he was reportedly strangled to death. President Rodrigo Duterte sent his chief legal adviser Salvador Panelo to apologize to the South Korean government. DMS