By: Genalyn D. Kabiling
President Duterte is no longer extending any assistance to policemen who run into trouble while conducting anti-drug operations.
The President has reminded cops not to interfere anymore with the anti-drug efforts and leave the matter to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“Kayo lahat huwag kayong makialam,” Duterte said before an assembly of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. “‘Pag nasabit kayo, hindi ko kayo tutulungan,” he said.
The President recently issued a memorandum authorizing the PDEA to be the lead agency in conducting anti-drug operations following criticisms over the alleged abuses in deadly police raids.
Duterte had hoped to satisfy the “bleeding hearts” and other critics of the drug war by removing the police force from the picture.
In his remarks last Wednesday, the President said PDEA should be left alone to do its mandate of spearheading the anti-drug operations.
“This will be the test of our times. Pumapasok na ang Triad, the Bamboo Gang. O, tignan natin we have the PDEA,” he said.
“Hayaan muna natin ‘yung PDEA because according to the law, it’s the lead agency,” he said.
Duterte said he has distanced from the drug crackdown after some critics have claimed there was no drug problem in the country.
“You have been downgrading the drugs problem. Okay. I ordered the military and the police out of the picture. Lahat. Only PDEA,” he said.
