Former President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday rebuffed requests to become a drug czar under the Marcos era, saying he preferred to allow the current administration to manage the country's drug problem.
Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher "Bong" Go, both strong associates of the former president, have previously supported the proposal in order to eliminate drug syndicates.
During a Senate committee meeting last week, Philippine National Police Chief Benjamin Acorda, Jr. stated that he would support the move.
However, Duterte, who is under investigation by the International Criminal Court for his drug-war killings, said he was not thinking about it.
Last year, while still president-elect, Marcos stated that he was open to having his predecessor lead the country's drug fight.
He alleged that Duterte instructed him to carry on with his drug campaign even if it was altered.
According to government data, 6,181 people were killed in Duterte's drug war, whereas human rights groups claim that up to 30,000 people were killed, including innocent bystanders and civilians.
