Former president Rodrigo Duterte has strongly advocated for eliminating police officers involved in illegal drugs.
During his program, Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, Duterte expressed his firm stance on the matter.
“Shoot them dead. Why allow them due process? What for? Look at what has been happening. Bato has been talking for hours on TV. Still, until now, it’s all investigation. That’s how long it’s going to take, because that’s how the law requires it,” said the ex-president.
”I have deep respect for the police, but we are confronted with a grave predicament. I have stated it before... the most effective approach to dealing with such law enforcement officials is to eradicate them. No need for protracted court proceedings, simply eliminate them," he added.
He highlighted the contradiction of police officers engaging in drug trafficking while expecting support from the people.
“You are a police officer, but you get yourself into drugs. You want us, the people, to pay you. From the time you graduated, until you reached the situation you are in right now, it’s us, the Filipino people, who feed you and your family. And now you want to make a fool of the Filipinos?” he pointed out.
Duterte also revealed that some officers not only protect drug traffickers but are part of the drug syndicates themselves. He raised concerns about a fractured police force, including high-ranking officials, with criminals infiltrating the ranks.
“Publicly for the first time, I’m saying to the police and to the government of the Philippines. We have a fractured police force in this country,” he said.
Duterte stressed that the issue extends beyond Metro Manila and can be found throughout the country.
“The pernicious effect of drugs in this country is not limited [to specific areas], You might say or think that only generals in Metro Manila are involved. It spreads not in so many numbers, but it can be everywhere,” Duterte added.
On March 26, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) destroyed 990 kilograms of shabu with a street value of P6.7 billion in Trece Martires City, Cavite province.
Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr. and another suspect, Ney Atadero, were apprehended in an operation in Manila in October.
He was fired on March 21 for three charges of grave misconduct and unfitness for a police officer, while Atadero was accused of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
