PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. can’t say if the Marcos administration’s war on drugs will be bloody or not.
He is sure, however, that the past administration did a very good job in the fight against drugs.
“We can’t say it’s bloody because during drug operations, our operatives have (to make) a judgement call,” Azurin said yesterday during a press briefing at the PNP national headquarters at Camp Crame.
The Duterte administration’s war on drugs led to the death of 6,252 suspects from July 1, 2016 to May 31 this year alone, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“Would you wait for someone (on the PNP side to) get killed before you retaliate? That is the judgement call of any team leader, any operating police, if they are in the field,” said Azurin.
“Definitely, I cannot comment whether it’s bloody or (not),” he said.
Azurin and Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos have earlier declared that the war on drugs of the previous administration will be continued under the new administration of President Marcos Jr.
Azurin said former President Duterte’s war on drugs “brought awareness to every Filipino on the ill effects of drugs in our country and we really need to give credit to the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the past administration.”
Azurin said the current administration is conducting a study on how to improve the campaign.
He said other sectors of the society, including barangays, should be involved in efforts against illegal drugs.
“What we will do is we will bring the campaign to the barangays. We would ask the (drug) affected barangays how they intend to help the police so we would know if they are going to help us or they will just rely on us to solve the problem,” said Azurin.
Azurin said the PNP will also coordinate with government agencies, particularly in the rehabilitation of drug addicts and provision of jobs to keep people away from illegal drugs.