Detained Sen. Leila M. de Lima said yesterday that the government should get rid of corrupt policemen first and make them pay for their crimes before resuming the war on drugs.
According to De Lima, it would be the “height of arrogance” if the Duterte administration resumes its “murderous” war on drugs, particularly its “Oplan: Tokhang” or “Project: Double Barrel.”
“It would be the height of arrogance if our government would resume its most murderous war on drugs without correcting its defects, without getting rid of corrupt policemen, and without making them accountable for their crimes,” De Lima said in a statement.
“Like many of you know, the illegal drug abuse and trafficking present a persistent problem not only for the Philippines but also for other countries. We are against drug trade, but we should not allow innocent people summarily killed,” she said.
The Duterte government, she said, must heed the incessant warnings from local and global community against the blatant defects in the Philippine National Police anti-drug operations. (Hannah L. Torregoza)
