MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte’s
campaign against illegal drugs remains credible and won’t be affected by
the ongoing issue about “ninja cops,” according to Palace spokesperson Salvador
Panelo.
“Because na-expose sila, kung na-expose sila di patay na sila, nasira na, na-derail na iyong kanilang
programa,” Panelo said.
Panelo assured the public that they have nothing to worry about on the administration’s
anti-drug campaign since the crackdown will go on.
“First, there have been many factories of shabu dismantled; second, many have
been arrested and even with respect to the policemen – ilan ba iyong sinabi kong napatay na ano, 142 ba na police during the operations against the policemen, oh eh doon lang di successful ka na,” he said.
Panelo added: “They should be
comfortable. The fact is the President has dismantled many drug apparatus in
this country and jailed many police scalawags involved in the drug operation
and arrested many people involved in pushing the illegal drugs and many have
surrendered, many have been rehabilitated.”
President Duterte revealed in a forum in Sochi, Russia recently that there are
two generals who are involved in the illegal drug trade but did not identify
whether they come from the police or military.
Duterte’s statement came after the revelation at the Senate hearings that
outgoing Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde asked to stop
the implementation of the dismissal order against 13 so called “ninja cops” who
conducted an anti-drug operation in Pampanga that was allegedly riddled with
irregularities.
The government’s war on drugs has been one of Duterte’s campaign promises. It
is still ongoing as of now despite receiving backlashes from the opposition as
well as from other countries./PN
