Former president Rodrigo Duterte launched his war on drugs with a promise to end the country’s drug scourge in three to six months. Six years later, Duterte admitted that he underestimated the magnitude and the complexity of the illegal drugs problem. He lamented that government officials and law enforcers themselves were involved in the drug trade.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos defended the Marcos administration’s campaign against illegal drugs, saying the evidence would speak for itself. He cited over P10 billion worth of illegal drugs seized since the President took office. Abalos on Wednesday called on all police officials from the ranks of colonel, brigadier general and up to submit their voluntary resignations in a drastic move to weed out those involved in illegal drugs from the PNP.
President Marcos said on Friday that the call for senior PNP officers to submit courtesy resignations was his directive. We are cleansing the ranks and making sure that the officials who will remain are trustworthy and are working for the government, not for syndicates, he said. The President said officers who will be cleared will be reinstated, while those with “severe” cases may face charges.