President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr admitted that there were alleged abuses by some elements in the government during the drug war of former President Rodrigo Duterte and that the illegal drug syndicates grew stronger, richer and more influential.
In the question and answer portion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, Marcos said that the anti-narcotics drive of the previous administration was too focused on “enforcement”, so it can be said that there were abuses by some elements in the government.
Marcos indicated that this is the reason why his government formed a commission and resigned the police officers from colonel up.
But Marcos refused to assess the drug war of the previous administration because he said it was not correct.
“I’m in no position to assess the administration of anybody else. That is not proper for me to — that’s not a proper role for me to take. But when you asked what we are doing, well, you all know. We formed the commission to — and I asked for the resignation of all the police officers, colonel up, so that we can assess and see and study what their records are,” said Marcos.
Pres. Marcos admits abuse in Duterte’s drug war
According to Marcos, it is not the small people seen in the streets who run illegal drugs but the high officials who are sometimes police and sometimes in the government, so they are the ones they are after.
According to the report, official data shows that 6,181 people have been killed in the “war on drugs”, which began in 2016, but according to rights groups, the death toll could be as high as 30,000.
Although Marcos refused to speak out against Duterte, he noted that illegal drugs remain the source of much criminality in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Marcos also mentioned that currently, two police officers have given courtesy resignations that have been accepted and more than 30 are under investigation.
Marcos also added that there are officials who turn a blind eye, but there are also those who send their troops to help the drug syndicate.
However, Marcos also said that many of the police are not involved in drugs.
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