President Duterte said only the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and a select few from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) can conduct drug operations.
The President made the move after he dissolved all anti-illegal drugs group of the Philippine National Police (PNP) due to the kidnap-slaying of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.
According to Duterte, police officers across the country are now not allowed to enforce laws related to the drug campaign.
“The only guys there who can really go after the drug lords now are the PDEA and the Armed Forces, a selected few.
They are the only ones who can operate now on drugs para wala nang kalokohan,” Duterte said during the traditional dinner with the AFP Council of Sergeants Major in Malacañang Tuesday night.
According to Duterte, PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña has his full trust and confidence to conduct drug operations.
Duterte has also tagged the PNP as “corrupt to the core” following the involvement of erring police officers in murder, kidnapping, robbery, and extortion using “Oplan Tokhang,” the government’s anti-drugs drive.
He added that the PNP can only return to the drug war after cleansing the organization of scalawags.
Based on PNP records, more than 2,550 people were killed by the police while nearly 4,000 others were listed as deaths under investigation since the start of the drug war. (ARGYLL CYRUS B. GEDUCOS)