Drugs war reaps bigger wins

“Rody is also unforgiving on scalawags in uniform.

The recalibrated war on drugs is not hitting the headlines anymore likely because the violent image of the campaign had disappeared to the disappointment of the yellow mob and its media conduits.

The near absence of mention on the revamped campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) proves the yellow agenda behind stories linking the so-called extrajudicial killings to the war on drugs.

Now that there are hardly any street deaths due to the success of the police force in checking killers riding on motorcycles or the riding-in-tandem and arrests are being made instead of suspects being killed in police operations, few reports about the PNP’s success have been issued.

The revamped war on drugs combined internal cleansing of the police force and the refocusing of police operations on high value targets.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said readjustments resulted in progress in efforts to collar major personalities in the drugs trade.

Records indicated of the 9,866 high-value targets on President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug list, only 918 or 9.3 percent remain unaccounted for as of 30 June.

Albayalde said 4,858 known drug personalities have surrendered in Tokhang operations.

Based on Rody’s directive in the State of the Nation Address, the war on drugs will remain “relentless and chilling” or that the campaign will not stop until his final day as President.

Police operations resulted in the arrest of 2,795 traffickers who are now being prosecuted, PNP records show.

The data showed 258 of the drug targets died in police operations while 322 became victims of homicide cases under investigation and 654 can no longer be located.

The war on drugs hitting its stride is also creating favorable ripples in the lowering of other crime incidents.

The PNP said crimes against property such as robbery, holdup, theft and carnapping have gone down significantly which Albayalde classified as among gains in the war on drugs.

“The persons apprehended for peddling drugs in the streets are likely also those who are responsible for other crimes such as robbery and holdup,” Albayalde explained.

He noted there have been hardly any break-ins or burglaries lately due to the arrest of many drug offenders.

The internal cleansing also resulted in 1,828 PNP personnel being dismissed and 3,589 suspended. Another 353 are being investigated for drug-related offenses.

“The revamped war on drugs combined internal cleansing of the police force and the refocusing of police operations on high value targets.

The PNP said 6,401 of its members since Rody took power were meted administrative penalties for various offenses ranging from involvement in criminal activity, grave misconduct, serious neglect of duty, involvement in criminal cases, serious irregularity, malversation, dishonesty and graft and corruption.

The PNP check of its rank also led recently to the dismissal of 13 police chiefs in the Ilocos region for poor performance in the anti-narcotics campaign.

Rody is also unforgiving on scalawags in uniform.

In a recent assembly at the Palace, Rody told police officers facing disciplinary actions who were brought to his presence he would kill rogue policemen who will not mend their ways.

He berated more than 100 erring policemen, including 87 from the National Capital Region Police Office.

Rody said the bad eggs taint the image of the whole PNP.

“Why did you join the police force? The police are only for people who love the country and wanted to serve their fellowmen,” Rody said.

“Those who are involved in drug syndicates and corruption, I will have a special unit that will monitor throughout your life and if you commit just one mistake again, I will order to kill you,” Rody said.

Rody’s determination to hit his goal of giving Filipinos peace and order should be matched with an equal commitment from police officers to stay clean and do their job.