PNP: Internal investigation, DOJ
review enough for 'drug war'
accountability
Philstar.com
January 30, 2023 | 1:45pm
This file photo taken on November 16, 2016 shows police gathered over the body of a suspect killed
during an anti-drug operation at an informal settlers' area near a port in Manila.
AFP / Ted Aljibe, file
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police said there is no need
for the International Criminal Court to look into deaths related to the "war on
drugs" since it is already reviewing its own personnel for possible lapses in
anti-narcotics operations.
In a briefing on Monday, Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., PNP chief, said
domestic proceedings are enough for accountability in case of abuses in the
"war on drugs" of the Duterte administration. The Hague-based ICC last week
said that it had authorized the reopening of an inquiry into the brutal anti-drugs
campaign — an inquiry that the Philippine government has consistently
rejected as unnecessary and without jurisdiction.
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"The PNP encourages the ICC to respect the Philippines' sovereignty and
acknowledge the capacity of the Philippines' judicial system," Azurin said in
prepared comments.
Azurin, whose agency has been collecting courtesy resignations from police
officials to help clean its leadership of drug links, said the Philippines has "a
robust, efficient and functioning criminal justice system."
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, who had called on police colonels and
generals to submit courtesy resignations, said this month that the move is a
"shortcut" to the standard procedure of filing cases in court against allegedly
corrupt cops.
Azurin said there are active investigations into deaths related to anit-narcotics
operations. Agencies involved in the "war on drugs" had insisted that "drug
personalities" killed in operations had violently resisted arrest.
A review by the Department of Justice of some of the cases found lapses in
protocol and in verifying whether the personalities killed were even armed.
The review has also led to prosecution in court as well as the filing of
administrative cases, he said.
Azurin said in Filipino that of around 300 case folders sent to the DOJ, "they
filed complaints in 52 cases," although the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber, in
authorizing the resumption of the probe, noted that 302 cases under review "is
very low when compared with the estimated number of killings that allegedly
occurred in the context of ‘war on drugs.'"
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Review continues
The PNP chief said that the police have been "fully cooperating with the DOJ
in reviewing cases" and that the Internal Affairs Service continues to
investigate cases as well. The PNP has also been addressing "internal
discipline issues," he said.
"That is why we don't see any reason why the ICC would come in," he also
said. "The investigations have been continuing in tandem with the DOJ."
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a GMA News interview over
the weekend that the government can seek accountability for drug-related
deaths on its own.
"We have our own judicial system. If they want to prosecute someone, let
them show the evidence, provide this to us and we will prosecute because we
have the responsibility over our country," he said.
Kin of those who were killed in the "war on drugs" have disagreed with the
government's position, saying domestic procedures have failed to bring justice
for the deaths of their loved ones.