Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jul 2016
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
Copyright: 2016 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.inquirer.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073
Author: Maricar Cinco

'DRUG LORDS ORDERED HITS'

Bato Says Syndicates Employing Vigilantes

TRECE MARTIRES CITY- Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on 
Thursday said convicted drug lords were behind a rash of vigilante 
killings, directing hit men to target distributors who had run into 
difficulties remitting earnings following the Duterte 
administration's intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

"For all you know, these drug syndicates, they're now killing each 
other," the Philippine National Police chief said at the burning of 
P1.77 billion worth of banned substances confiscated in police 
operations since February.

The incineration marked the first large-scale destruction of 
confiscated illegal drugs in more than a decade, underscoring 
President Duterte's determination to put substance to his campaign 
promise to eliminate the drug menace in three to six months.

"You keep on looking at the police, you keep on suspecting us. But 
those behind these 'salvage' ... these are the work of drug 
syndicates," said Dela Rosa, adding the information came from a 
person who surrendered on Wednesday and sought police protection 
against a syndicate.

Dela Rosa, at the same time, dismissed allegations of extrajudicial 
executions in the police war against illegal drugs, saying the deaths 
were the results of "legitimate" police operations.

200 killed

In Davao City, Chief Supt. Camilo Cascolan of the PNP directorate for 
operations, on Thursday said deaths resulting from police operations 
required investigation by the Internal Affairs Service.

"Whatever happens in police operation, especially if there are people 
killed, there always has to be an investigation," he said.

More than 200 people allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade 
have been killed since Mr. Duterte was sworn into office on June 30, 
according to a count by the INQUIRER.

At least 64 of them were killed vigilante-style, while the rest were 
gunned down in police operations.

In dismissing allegations of police involvement in vigilante 
killings, Dela Rosa said drug syndicates, whose leaders are detained 
at New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, were calling the "hits" 
against their own "distributors."

"Those inside Bilibid are now calling their hit men outside to kill 
their distributors for failing to remit money to the [leaders'] bank 
accounts, even as they continue to supply the goods. Onsehan 
(double-cross)," Dela Rosa said. This started as the police 
intensified its antidrug campaign, resulting in the mass surrender of 
drug users and pushers across the country, he said.

Dela Rosa was unfazed by reports that human rights advocates had 
started looking into the spate of killings under the Duterte administration.

"They can criticize [and file] complaints if there were abuses. We 
won't cover them up," Dela Rosa said.

"You cannot correct a mistake by making another mistake. It's wrong 
to have drug dealings, you can't [solve it] with extrajudicial 
killings," he added.

He urged the police not to be discouraged by the investigations. 
"Continue the fight," he said.

But he warned the so-called ninja cops-policemen suspected of 
"recycling" or reselling confiscated drugs-and others found to have 
links to the drug trade that they would be dealt with severely.

Earlier, Dela Rosa said the PNP would send erring policemen to the 
provinces of Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi to fight the bandit group Abu Sayyaf.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Isidro Lapena said 
Thursday's event was the first time that illegal drugs confiscated by 
the PDEA and other law enforcement agencies were destroyed in a 
matter of days following their seizure or disposal.

Pilferage

"If we can do it faster, the better," Lapena said. "[Time] is very 
significant because the possibility of pilferage is reduced to maximum."

PDEA personnel burned the drugs, with its bulk coming from the 180.9 
kilograms of "shabu" (methamphetamine hydrochloride) dug up in the 
coastal town of Claveria in Cagayan province on July 3. Others were 
used as court evidence and disposed of by courts in Metro Manila and 
nearby provinces. It was the largest drug haul burned since 2004, 
when P2.3 billion worth of narcotics was burned, also in Trece Martires.

The drugs, in separate plastic bags, were placed inside a large metal 
chamber and subjected to intense heat in a process called "thermal 
decomposition."

PDEA officials said this ensured that "reconstruction of the 
substances is impossible."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom