Amid call for the resignation of Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, Senator Leila De Lima blame President Rodrigo Duterte on “tokhang for ransom?"? cases.

“This is not the sole fault of its PNP Chief, but mostly of his president who has transformed a once professional institution into nothing more than Tokhang death squads engaged in tong shakedown rackets,” de Lima said in a statement.

De Lima said Dela Rosa is just following orders from the president.

“Administration is in need of a scapegoat for the scandal of a PNP force gone rogue. A major responsibility for the spate of Tokhang for Ransom incidents of course lies with Gen. Rolando de la Rosa.,” she said in a statement.

“But this is only a part of the equation. Dela Rosa is only following the President's orders to let loose a police force free from any accountability, especially for EJKs ( extrajudicial killings) and other abuses committed in the name of his war on drugs,” she added.

De Lima noted the “recognition of the root of the problem should go beyond blaming Dela Rosa and instead condemn the drug war policy that has produced human rights violators and criminals out of the men and women of the PNP.”

“The kidnappings committed in the name of the drug war will not end anytime soon, as long as we also accept and tolerate the killing of drug suspects as legitimate police options,” she said.

“A police force that is given license to be judge, jury and executioner is not expected anymore to respect the rule of law or enforce the law. It will only continue to deteriorate and eventually cease to be the major law enforcement agency of the government.” She added. Robina Asido/DMS