Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino stressed it is impossible to avoid bloodshed in anti-illegal drug operations especially when the armed and dangerous suspects fight it out with law enforcers.
He made his point on Monday when asked to comment on the proposal of Vice President Leni Robredo to put an end to drug-related killings.
In as much as law enforcers want bloodless raids and illegal drug operations, Aquino said that narcotics agents may be left with no other choice but to engage the suspects in a shootout when the situation warrants it.
In an interview, Aquino stressed there will always be casualties if the drug personalities “fight back’’.
Aquino said that no death during operations is virtually impossible “just what like the Vice-President wants us to enforce.”
He noted that narcotics agents are already hard pressed in avoiding collateral damage, especially if the drug offenders are using their homes as drug dens where their families are staying.
On Friday, Robredo presided over her first meeting as co-chairman of the ICAD, vowing to stop drug-related killings.
She also cited the need to reassess the Oplan Tokhang, saying it is a war “against the poor.”
However, Aquino said there is no problem with Oplan Tokhang as the program was misconstrued to be linked to deaths or killings.
Although Aquino has given his take on the program, PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said the possible reassessment of Oplan Tokhang should be left in the hands of the Philippine National Police (PNP) which instituted the anti-illegal drug scheme.
Meanwhile, PDEA has purchased 250 body cameras and distributed them to the agency’s regional offices to prevent unwarranted claims of abuses during the actual operations on the ground. (Chito A. Chavez)