Malacañang assured the people yesterday that President Duterte’s war on drugs is not aimed at poor, innocent, and hapless individuals.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar allayed the people’s fears of becoming victims of extrajudicial killings that was revealed in a Social Weather Station survey.
“We recognize our people’s concern,” the Palace official said as he reiterated that EJKs “are not State-sponsored.”
“We denounce riding-in-tandem murders perpetrated by common criminals wrongly attributed in news reports as part of police operations,” Andanar said. “Murder is murder,” he added.
Andanar said authorities are conducting legitimate operations that require observance of operational protocols and those who violate procedures are made to answer before the law.
Suspected drug personalities who resist and fight back with arms have to be dealt with appropriately, Andanar said, saying that “the proper enforcement of our laws requires the use of reasonable force merited by the attendant circumstances.”
Malacañang thanked the people for their continued support in the war against drugs in the survey. “We are thankful to the Filipino people for their continued expression of satisfaction on the Duterte administration’s war against illicit drugs. The success of the first phase of President Duterte’s war against illegal drugs is evident,” Andanar said.
He also assured the people that government is serious in solving extrajudicial killings. “Rest assured that the Duterte administration respects the law and uphold the basic rights of our people, regardless of beliefs and political persuasions,” Andanar said. (Elena L. Aben)
