THE Philippine National Police issued last Tuesday its latest official figures on the government’s war on drugs. These figures are for the period from July 2, 2016, at the start of the Duterte administration to May 31, 2019.
During this 35-month period, Police Gen. Oscar Albayalde, PNP chief, said at a command conference at Camp Crame:
– 6,600 were killed.
– 240,565 were arrested.
– 1,283,409 surrendered to the police.
The previous PNP report on the anti-drugs war up to May 21, 2018, said 4,279 had been killed. It was issued to counter claims of critics that as many as 12,000 had been killed in the anti-drugs campaign. The PNP, however, also reported in May, 2018, that there were also 22,983 “Deaths Under Inquiry.” We expect that police investigation has been proceeding in all these cases, so as to clear up the impression that this has been a bloody anti-drugs war in which too many have been unfairly implicated and killed by over-zealous police operatives.
The latest PNP report for the 35-month period also included:
– 12,177 of 42,045 barangays have been declared drug-free.
– 282 barangays remain seriously affected, 10,835 are moderately affected, and 9,354 slightly affected.
– Most of the drug-affected barangays are in Bicol (2,530), followed by Central Luzon (2,342), Central Visayas (2,293), Calabarzon (1,758), and Western Visayas (1,717). In Metro Manila, 1,515 barangays remain affected.
– A total of R32.42 billion worth of drugs and laboratory equipment have been seized.
These statistics summarize the progress that has been made by the anti-drugs campaign which President Duterte launched from the very start of his administration in June, 2016. In the early months of the campaign, there were fears of police excesses, but after a period during which the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) took over the campaign from the PNP, it has proceeded with renewed strength and effectivity. It has drawn the attention of other nations similarly saddled by the drug problem.
During the presidential campaign of 2016, President Duterte vowed to stop the drug problem in three months, then to six months, as he found the problem so much bigger than anybody had thought. He now says that he expects to keep up the fight against drugs up to the very end of his term.
So now we have the latest figures issued by the PNP. We welcome the progress made so far and support its continued drive to eliminate the country’s drugs problem, now being carried out with all due compliance with the law and with human rights.
