PNP says some of 5,000 drug-related deaths from drug syndicates

March 19, 2019

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said they found out over 5,000 drug-related deaths are not all due to police operations.

Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said all 5, 176 recorded drug personalities that died during operations are under investigation.

“We have solved a lot already and we found out that not all of these cases are attributed to police operations. Some of them were due to drug syndicates getting revenge from their colleagues,” Banac said in a TV interview.

He said they continue their mandate to investigate these killings but added  they cannot rush things.

“Well of course the investigation is ongoing and we have to give it time. Also, we cannot rush things. That is part of the mandate of PNP to conduct investigation and give justice to all those victims,” said Banac.

Banac said around 119 police personnel were dismissed from service due to their involvement in drugs and he assured the public the PNP is investigating those who are allegedly involved in killings.

“I don’t have the data yet on the specific on how many of them were going criminal trial for getting implicated… We have to give due process also to our police who are responding in to all these police operations. Whenever there is a homicide case, of course (there is an) investigation and our police are immediately subjected to the procedure. They have to submit their firearms for ballistic examination and they have to give their statement on how did it occurred,” he explained.

“If there is sufficient evidence to file charges against suspects then we... do it,” he said.

Banac made the statement after the Human Rights Watch said the three policemen involved in the killing of Kian Delos Santos for allegedly fighting back at them was because of evidence they cannot deny.

“Assurance we can give to the public is that we are conducting our operations against illegal drugs following the established rules of engagements and in fact we have been hammering this to our PNP personnel for so long a time,” he said.

“We don’t tolerate any wrongdoings of our colleague. We have our own disciplinary mechanism. We file charges against them and of course like the Kian Delos Santos case, three of our colleagues got convicted for murder. It goes to show that we don’t tolerate any wrongdoings of our PNP personnel,” he added.

On the exit of the Philippines at the International Criminal Court, PNP said they are ready to cooperate as long as they are directives from the executive department.

“We have to understand that the PNP works under the executive department and any decision on this matter we have to course through the executive department. So we’ll just have to wait if something comes up. (If there is) an investigation, then for sure will be directed to cooperate, provide data. We will provide all the necessary help,” said Banac.

He said the organization will leave to the national government to decide on this matter.

“We remained committed, we will pursue our mandate to enforce the law, prevent and control crimes, go after the drug syndicates and we do all of these following the established rules of engagements,” he said.

Banac said the criminal justice system in the Philippines is working.

“As far as we are concerned, this is working because being in the law enforcement, we file cases. We file charges against violation of law, we submit it to the prosecution and we see to it that there are convictions,” he said.

The Philippines officially left the ICC last Sunday, March 17 after President Rodrigo Duterte said the country is not a member of the international court. Ella Dionisio/DMS