SENATE minority leader Franklin Drilon yesterday said drug war records have no national security implications as ruled by the Supreme Court, contrary to what President Duterte claimed last Monday.
“In the words of the Supreme Court, drug war records ‘do not obviously involve state secrets affecting national security’ for the information and documents relate to routine police operations involving violations of laws against the sale or use of illegal drugs,” Drilon said in a statement.
He said this was the ruling of the Supreme Court in the case of Almora et al and Dano et al vs. the PNP in 2018, adding that drug war records are “plain and simple police blotter” which are public records that the people have the right to see.
Duterte, in his latest address to the nation, said the government cannot release all records from the controversial drug war because it would compromise national security, adding information about certain persons must remain confidential.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he is confident Duterte will not block the DOJ’s scrutiny of the drug war files despite his statement last Monday.
“I think we just need to understand what the President really wanted to say. You see, I spoke about the drug war review last year to the UN, he didn’t say anything to restrain it. I submitted an initial report to the President and spoke again before the Human Rights Council last February, noting certain lapses in police operations, the President never called my attention to it,” Guevarra said.
Guevarra also said the DOJ has received 53 drug war case files from the PNP, which agreed last week to release at least 61 case records to the Justice Department.
“With the exception of the eight administrative cases that the Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service has not completely disposed of, 53 case files were delivered to the DOJ Tuesday afternoon,” Guevarra said in a text message.
“We shall immediately go over the contents of these case files and decide how to proceed further,” he added.
Guevarra reiterated the DOJ will not seek Duterte’s approval for the conduct of investigation on the cases but added they would keep in mind his concerns about national security implications.
“We do not find it necessary to seek the President’s approval for any criminal investigation and prosecution that may ensue, but we shall keep in mind his concern for national security as we evaluate each and every case,” the DOJ chief added.
Drilon said the PNP must follow the rule of law, adding: “The PNP is walking on a thin line between following the high court’s order or keeping the records under wraps. But they must abide by the court ruling. Wala naman po tayong tinatago, hindi po ba ? (We are not hiding anything, aren’t we?).”
Drilon said that based on the SC ruling, drug war records “do not involve rebellion, invasion, terrorism, espionage, infringement of our sovereignty or sovereign rights by foreign powers, or any military, diplomatic or state secret involving national security.
“To claim that it involves national security is unfounded. By any stretch of imagination, I could not think how a single poorest of the poor Filipino, who was killed in an anti-narcotic operation, have planned to overthrow the government,” he said. — With Ashzel Hachero
