President Duterte has barred the National Bureau of Investigation from implementing anti-drug laws across the country a few days after the Philippine National Police was also barred for the alleged involvement of several policemen in the kidnapping of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.
Duterte barred the NBI from the anti drug campaign after three unnamed assets were said to be involved in the killing of Jee Ick Joo in October 2016.
“The bureau is suspended from imposing drug laws. Sali kayo. Nawalan na ako ng tiwala sa inyo,” he said during the National Convention of Philippine Association of Water Districts in Davao City yesterday.
Duterte reminded NBI Director Dante Gierran that he appointed him because he promised that he can kill erring NBI agents if worse comes to worst regarding their job.
“I will hold him responsible for his statement. Whether he really kills them or not, that is not my problem,” he said, adding that he’s only trying to exact performance, not literally, when he made the condition for appointing government officials.
Duterte also advised the PNP and NBI to reject drug cases as he will suspect that they are involved in it. “We cannot make use of the police because they are corrupt. I cannot trust now the NBI because they are corrupt,” he said, adding that it is unfortunate because not all NBI agents are corrupt.
“The problem is it (the issue of drugs) is a virulent thing. It is like a virus that has really affected all law enforcement agencies,” he said.
After dissolving all anti-illegal drugs units of the PNP last Sunday, Duterte has asked Gierran to produce the three NBI assets said to be involved in Jee’s killing and even offered R1 million reward for the heads of each asset.
Duterte said that aside from Camp Crame, there will also be cleansing inside the NBI. Until the cleansing is done, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will be conducting the drug operations. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)