PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa during the hearing of Committee on Justice and Human Rights at the Senate in Pasay City on alleged extra judicial killings amid the government campaign against illegal drugs.INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
The state of national emergency should remain in force amid the government鈥檚 relentless war on illegal drugs, the official of the Philippine National Poice (PNP) has said.
鈥淎s of now I cannot give advice to the President na i-lift 鈥榶ung (to lift the) state of lawlessness na sinasabi niya (he was talking about),鈥� PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa told reporters in a press briefing on Thursday when asked if Duterte should lift the declaration.
Dela Rosa said the threat from illegal drug activities remains a concern for state forces.
鈥淪o far 鈥榶ung threat kasi natin sa ngayon ay nai-li-link doon sa ating war on drugs, kaya hangga鈥檛 relentless 鈥榶ung ating war on drugs, 鈥榙i pa rin natin masabi na mawawala 鈥榶ung threat natin (the threat is linked to our war on drugs so as long as we have a relentless war on drugs, we cannot say that our threat will be gone),鈥� he said.
Last September 5, President Rodrigo Duterte signed a proclamation declaring a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence.
READ: Duterte signs state of national emergency proclamation
Duterte signed the proclamation two days after a deadly bombing in a crowded night market in Davao City, which killed 15 people and injured dozens more.
Malaca帽ang has said that the declaration would be 鈥渋ndefinite鈥� as long as the President finds it necessary.
As of September 29, records from the PNP showed that 725,791 drug users and pushers have surrendered to police while 19,907 drug personalities were arrested. The PNP added that 1,276 people have been killed in police operations against illegal drugs.
Dela Rosa said the war on illegal drugs of the PNP was now in its second phase.
READ: Drug war enters Phase 2
鈥淪econd phase will be focusing more (on) the HVTs (high value targets). 鈥榊ung鈥ale ang focus 鈥榥ong first phase ay doon sa Tokhang sa street level (The focus of the first phase was on the Tokhang in the street level),鈥� he said.
The police official admitted that the government was still halfway to its target number of 鈥渄rug surrenderers.鈥�
鈥淢alaki pa ang kulang talaga (We have yet to fulfill our target),鈥� he said, adding that their target was 1.8 million surrenderers.
鈥淪a new target namin sa PNP which is we set at 1.8 million surrenderers, kasama na diyan surrenderers, neutralized, arrested, killed na mga drug personalities na 1.8 million. Nasa 720,000 pa tayo eh (On our new target at PNP, which we set at 1.8 million surrenderers, included there are surrenderers, neutralized, arrested and killed drug personalities. We currently have 720,000 who surrendered.),鈥� he added.
Dela Rosa said supply of illegal drugs was down by 70 percent to 80 percent.
鈥淵ung estimate natin ngayon na 鈥榶ung sa supply side, medyo bumaba by around 70 to 80 percent. Estimate lang 鈥榶an ha. Bumaba by 70 to 80 percent (We estimate that the supply side of illegal drugs went down by around 70 to 80 percent. It鈥檚 only an estimate. It went down by around 70 to 80 percent),鈥� he said.聽RAM/rga