By: Genalyn D. Kabiling
The government is committed to minimizing collateral damage and continues to protect human life in the war on illegal drugs, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said yesterday.
Roque made the assurance after a Social Weather Stations survey showed that nearly half of Filipinos believed the death of innocent persons was unavoidable in the anti-drugs campaign.
“In any war, unfortunately, there will be collateral damage. The goal of the government is to minimize the collateral damage,” Roque said during a Palace news conference.
“The goal of the government is to uphold the right to life ‘no, which is to protect and promote the right to life,” he added.
Roque also said the government has a “continuing obligation” to investigate, prosecute, and punish the perpetrators of alleged extrajudicial killings.
He assured that the President does not tolerate the murder of innocent people in the drug crackdown.
“He will not tolerate murders. He will only tolerate killings when it is in line with duty and when the engagement is legal and he had, in fact, asked that the police officers involved in the Kian killing be arrested by Gen. Bato,” he said.
Malacañang welcomed the creation of new group of lawyers taking a stand against alleged extrajudicial killings and offering assistance to families of victims.
