MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday assured the public that government will continue to adhere to the rule of law while pursuing the relentless campaign against illegal drugs.
“We continue to adhere to the rule of law in our efforts to get rid the country of illegal drugs and protect the rights to life of our citizens and create an environment of peace and order,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in his speech during the launching of #RealNumbersPH: Year 2 at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
As the government intensified efforts to provide accurate information and data, Roque urged the law enforcers to follow due process in the war against drugs that President Rodrigo R. Duterte started right after his inauguration in June 2016.
“We must likewise demand due process to be accorded to policemen accused of alleged abuses,” Roque said.
Despite a marching order given by the President to policemen, Roque said Duterte has never tolerated abusive policemen.
“Never, never has the president said that abusive policemen should evade responsibility for their wrongful acts,” Roque said.
“The President demands this level of accountability because he knows at the end of the day, as President and Commander-In-Chief, he becomes accountable for the action of everyone who serves with him in government,” he added.
Contrary to criticism, Roque said Duterte does not and will never condone illegal killings.
He said the President’s critics have politicized the war on drugs which the #RealNumbersPH showed has resulted in the death of 4,729 drug personalities and not 12,000 as claimed by human rights groups.
“It is, however, unfortunate that despite the #RealNumbersPH and overwhelming support of the people on the war against drugs, the critics of the administration have politicized the Philippines campaign against illegal drugs considering that our legal processes are effective and functioning well,” Roque said.
Roque said the drug war has been bearing fruits with crime rate in Metro Manila under the Duterte administration recording its lowest for the month of May.
He commended the different government agencies led by the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) for their efforts to create #RealNumbersPH.
“The #RealNumbersPH is proof of the concerted efforts of the government in reporting impirical, truthful and updated information regarding the results of the anti-illegal drug campaign,” Roque said.
For his part, PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said the #RealNumbersPH is the government’s platform to combat misinformation, disinformation and fake news.
“The #RealNumbersPH will guide us to our liberation from destructive drugs,” Andanar said in his speech.
To get the accurate information about war on drugs, Andanar has encouraged the public to visit www.facebook/realnumbersph. (Jelly Musico/PNA)
