Pangilinan: Six months too short to address illegal drugs
MANILA, Philippines — Six months is too short for the supposed transfer of "law enforcement powers" to Vice President Leni Robredo, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said, adding the Duterte administration has already had three years of its "war on drugs."
President Rodrigo Duterte claimed on Monday that he would transfer the powers to Vice President Leni Robredo for around six months to see what happens. He has since walked back the statement to mean he is challenging her to take on the role of "drug czar."
"Six months? Eh, sila nga tatlong taon ng nakaupo wala pa ring nahuhuling druglord o kinukulong na opisyal ng BoC sa tone-toneladang pinalusot na shabu sa Customs," he said.
(Six months? They have had three years and they still haven't caught any drug lords or jailed any officials of the Bureau of Customs for tons and tons of shabu that got past customs.)
"Yung mga Ninja Cops na sangkot sa iligal na droga binigyan pa ng pinakamataas na puwesto sa [Philippine National Police]," Pangilinan said, referring to police officers who allegedly sell drugs previously seized in operations. Among those linked to the "Ninja Cops" is Gen. Oscar Albayalde, who went on non-duty status because of the controversy.
(The 'Ninja Cops' allegedly involved in illegal drugs were even given the highest post in the PNP)
"Hindi naman patas ang usapan kapag six months lang. Dapat maging patas. Gawing three years para fair," Pangilinan, president of the minority Liberal Party, said.
(Six months is not enough time. It should be fair. Let's make it three years so it will be fair)
Lacson: Only president has authority and power
In a separate press release, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a member of the Senate majority, said that "only the president can wield sufficient authority and power over our law enforcement officials."
Lacson said that nobody else in government can do the job better than the chief executive.
"Having said that, the president is easily peeved when his administration's top priorities—such as eliminating illegal drugs and corruption, which he used as his campaign platform—become the subject of criticisms," the senator also said.
Duterte made the statement after the vice president suggested the administration recalibrate its campaign against illegal drugs.
"Mas bright ka? Ikaw, subukan mo (You are brighter? Then you go ahead, try it)," he said.
Duterte has, in the past, cast doubt on Robredo's ability to lead the country, saying in August 2018 that "she cannot hack it."
'War on drugs'
The "war on drugs" is one of the Duterte administration's flagship programs and ridding the country of its drug problem in three to six months was a campaign promise of then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
According to to official figures, more than 5,000 "drug personalities" have been killed since the "war" began in July 2016. Authorities said all of those killed had violently resisted arrest. Rights organizations like Human Rights Watch put the estimated number of deaths at as high as 12,000.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (Taguig) told journalists Monday that illegal drugs in the Philippines is a P210-billion industry, which explained why Duterte had trouble fulfilling his campaign promises.
Duterte, during the campaign, often promised voters that he would get rid of the illegal drug problem within three to six months of his election. He later asked for a six-month extension on his self-imposed deadline.
"I didn't have any idea that there were hundreds of thousands of people already in the drug business," he said in September 2016.
"And what makes it worse is that they are operated now by people in government, especially those in elected positions. So it would be government versus government."
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