House leaders have welcomed the abolition of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group of the Philippine National Police but demanded more drastic and swift reforms from PNP chief Director General Ronald M. dela Rosa.
House Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn “Gwen” Garcia, who had sought a massive clean-up in the PNP, said she wants to see more immediate reforms to ensure that the death of a Korean businessman at the hands of rogue cops will not be repeated.
“The abolition of the AIDG is a welcome move. And yes, there definitely is a pressing need for more drastic and swift reforms in the PNP,” she said after Dela Rosa announced the break-up of the PNP’s anti-drugs unit in a speech during a flag-raising ceremony in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Rodel Batocabe, who heads the House partylist coalition bloc, also challenged the PNP leadership to double its efforts to cleanse its ranks. “The PNP should really initiate radical reforms to weed out the culture of corruption and impunity emboldened by the government’s war on drugs. While we wholeheartedly support the war on drugs, it should not, however, be used as an instrument of oppression an excuse to break the law and sow terror against the innocents,” he said.
He also challenged Dela Rosa to immediately file cases against rogue cops. “In the meantime, the PNP should summarily dismiss these scoundrels and file the necessary criminal cases to serve an example to others that no one is above the law,” Batocabe said. (Charissa M. Luci)
