Police promises more aggressive anti-drug drive despite criticisms
Despite criticisms and accusations in its operations, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald Dela Rosa promised a more aggressive campaign in its war on drugs where over 3,600 people have been killed in the first three months of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration.
Duterte's enforcer sees no reason to ease their momentum to rid the country of drugs even with criticisms from Duterte's political opponents and human rights groups.
"I still have courage in doing my job because I know we are working for the ordinary people that I meet on the streets," Dela Rosa said in an interview over ANC Tuesday evening.
As of Wednesday, a total of 1,381 drug suspects have been killed 23,671 police operations since July 1. A total of 2,105 drug suspects have been killed by unidentified assassins.
Dutere's critics such as Senator Leila De Lima claimed accused him of sponsoring of extrajudicial killings of suspected criminals without the benefit of due process and court trial.
The government is trying to account for about 1.8 million drug users and pushers based on Dangerous Drugs Board records.
Dela Rosa said they are buoyed by positive feedback from the community who feel safer under the Duterte administration compared to former President Benigno Aquino III.
"They thanked me, saying the crime situation now is different. These people said they are not afraid to walk the streets because criminals are now scared to go out ," said Dela Rosa.
The latest report from the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management indicated a decline in index crimes.
The report show robbery cases from July 1 to September 4 totaled 3,351, or a daily average of 51 cases and 372 a week. It's lower when compared to the 52-week benchmark from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 where 27,256 incidents or 75 cases a day and 524 incidents a week were recorded.
On theft, weekly and daily average went down by 29.7 percent and 32.4 percent respectively, from 1,278 incidents a week and 182 theft cases daily to 898 and 123 cases this year.
For carnapping of motor vehicles, the weekly and daily average are 148 and 20, lower by 36.5 percent and 39.4 percent respectively when compared to 233 and 33 cases respectively in the previous year.
Cases of physical injuries also went down by 12.7 percent a week and 16.8 percent daily. Based on their records, the weekly and daily average during the 9-week span are 693 and 94 cases, lower when compared to 794 and 113 incidents respectively during the 52-week
period last year.
Dela Rosa said they just ignore critics, saying they can't please everybody
On their next priorities in the coming months, Dela Rosa said they would focus on financial investigations on members of drug syndicates, internal cleansing and crime prevention programs at schools.
"We will know who are involved in the drug trade," said Dela Rosa. Emmanuel Tupas/DMS
