2 weeks Ago
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief P/Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil on Sunday called for the need for the stronger support and protection for law enforcement personnel involved in the war on drugs waged by former president Rodrigo Duterte. A media release from the PNP-Public Information Office said that based on official PNP data from July 2016 to June 2022, Marbil said 1,286 officers were affected in the line of duty—with 312 killed and 974 wounded.
The PNP chief said these police officers “carried out their responsibilities with dedication and often faced considerable risks to ensure public safety.” "Many officers endured not only physical harm but also found themselves entangled in legal and administrative challenges," Marbil said. According to the police official, 214 officers faced 352 criminal cases during this period.
He said “that while the promise of support was made, many officers continued to face consequences largely on their own.” Marbil said that administrative cases were “prevalent” as 195 officers were dismissed over the six-year period. There are also 398 cops facing dismissal for various reasons.
More than 20 police officers are currently in detention. The PNP chief said the numbers “remind us that the impact of the anti-drug campaign was deeply felt by our police force as well." In his statement, Marbil noted that even as former president Duterte publicly committed to supporting those enforcing the campaign, he said there is no official record that these commitments were fully realized.
In light of this development, Marbil stressed that the PNP “should not bear sole responsibility for the broader outcomes of the anti-drug campaign, as its officers were equally affected.” “The data show that while civilians were affected, many officers also paid the price in various ways," he pointed out. The PNP Chief also emphasized the importance of reforming the nation's police force.
“Our mission is to secure a safer Philippines through effective crime-fighting that respects human rights and dignity. Learning from these experiences, we aim to build a more balanced and humane approach to law enforcement,” Marbil said. —RF, GMA Integrated News.
