PNP to stay loyal to Duterte despite suggestion of junta
Published Aug 17, 2018 03:55 pm
By Genalyn Kabiling
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has pledged to stay loyal to the Constitution and support President Duterte’s war on illegal drugs despite his openness to have a junta government replace him.
PNP spokesperson Benigno Durana Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN)
According to PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Benigno Durana Jr., the police force remains committed to pursuing a "relentless and chilling” campaign on fighting illegal drugs and weeding out scalawags in the police force.
"As far as the Philippine National Police is concerned, I think that was also made clear by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, we will follow what's written in the Constitution," Durana said during a Palace press briefing when asked if they see any reason to establish a junta in case Duterte resigns from office.
“In my 30 plus years in the service, it’s only now that the Philippine National Police as an institution, the leadership is empowered to do their job. Unlike before, there are a lot of political influences. But now, the President has given almost a free hand to the leadership of the Philippine National Police to do their job,” he added.
Amid the President’s exasperation in dealing with corruption and illegal drugs, Durana said Filipinos should instead encourage the "father" of the nation to carry on his mandate and not contribute to his "monumental problems."
"I think not only the Philippine National Police but rest of the Filipino people should encourage our father. Kung minsan sa pamilya natin, napapagod din magulang dahil siguro pasaway tayo masyado. ," he said.
"As much as possible we don't want to give him a lot of headaches. That's why his priority -- war on drugs, internal cleaning of the Philippine National police, tinutulungan natin ," he added.
The President recently admitted that he was considering stepping down from office amid difficulties in fighting corruption and illegal drugs.
Duterte, who has a six-year mandate until 2022, said he was prepared to relinquish his post to a military junta or a competent successor like Senator Francis Escudero or former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The former Davao City mayor has refused to follow the constitutional succession believing Vice President Leni Robredo was not competent enough for the presidency.
In the Palace briefing, Durana said the police would continue to be “tough on crimes” but will carry out operations within the bounds of law.
“We can be tough on crimes but sometimes you can be humane as well and making sure that human rights and the constitutional rights of those drug dealers or drug pusher are observed,” he said.
Apart from sustaining the anti-drug operations, Durana said they would also continue with the internal cleansing in the PNP.
As of July 2018, he said 267 policemen have been dismissed from service due to drug use while 95 others were dismissed for other drug-related offenses.
He said the latest figures indicated that the police force does not tolerate "misfits and scalawags" in the campaign against illegal drugs.
"Our war on drugs has its good intentions, we don’t want to it to be marred by irregularities attendant to the police operations of some of our personnel. So we’ll be hard on them, weeding out misfits and scalawags," he said.
Durana said they also appreciate the President's support to the police force by allocating bigger funds for the PNP capability enhancement program. "In my 30 years in service, we were given lip service by previous administration, not this time. This government has taken good care of uniformed services," he said.
Durana also cited that the President has been "spot on" in concentrating on the campaign against illegal drugs and crime, citing recent surveys showing public support to rid the country of the such security threats.
"He's spot on on a very issue the matters most to majority of Filipino people. The government exists based on the needs and expectations of the Filipino people," he said.
PNP spokesperson Benigno Durana Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN)
According to PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Benigno Durana Jr., the police force remains committed to pursuing a "relentless and chilling” campaign on fighting illegal drugs and weeding out scalawags in the police force.
"As far as the Philippine National Police is concerned, I think that was also made clear by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, we will follow what's written in the Constitution," Durana said during a Palace press briefing when asked if they see any reason to establish a junta in case Duterte resigns from office.
“In my 30 plus years in the service, it’s only now that the Philippine National Police as an institution, the leadership is empowered to do their job. Unlike before, there are a lot of political influences. But now, the President has given almost a free hand to the leadership of the Philippine National Police to do their job,” he added.
Amid the President’s exasperation in dealing with corruption and illegal drugs, Durana said Filipinos should instead encourage the "father" of the nation to carry on his mandate and not contribute to his "monumental problems."
"I think not only the Philippine National Police but rest of the Filipino people should encourage our father. Kung minsan sa pamilya natin, napapagod din magulang dahil siguro pasaway tayo masyado. ," he said.
"As much as possible we don't want to give him a lot of headaches. That's why his priority -- war on drugs, internal cleaning of the Philippine National police, tinutulungan natin ," he added.
The President recently admitted that he was considering stepping down from office amid difficulties in fighting corruption and illegal drugs.
Duterte, who has a six-year mandate until 2022, said he was prepared to relinquish his post to a military junta or a competent successor like Senator Francis Escudero or former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The former Davao City mayor has refused to follow the constitutional succession believing Vice President Leni Robredo was not competent enough for the presidency.
In the Palace briefing, Durana said the police would continue to be “tough on crimes” but will carry out operations within the bounds of law.
“We can be tough on crimes but sometimes you can be humane as well and making sure that human rights and the constitutional rights of those drug dealers or drug pusher are observed,” he said.
Apart from sustaining the anti-drug operations, Durana said they would also continue with the internal cleansing in the PNP.
As of July 2018, he said 267 policemen have been dismissed from service due to drug use while 95 others were dismissed for other drug-related offenses.
He said the latest figures indicated that the police force does not tolerate "misfits and scalawags" in the campaign against illegal drugs.
"Our war on drugs has its good intentions, we don’t want to it to be marred by irregularities attendant to the police operations of some of our personnel. So we’ll be hard on them, weeding out misfits and scalawags," he said.
Durana said they also appreciate the President's support to the police force by allocating bigger funds for the PNP capability enhancement program. "In my 30 years in service, we were given lip service by previous administration, not this time. This government has taken good care of uniformed services," he said.
Durana also cited that the President has been "spot on" in concentrating on the campaign against illegal drugs and crime, citing recent surveys showing public support to rid the country of the such security threats.
"He's spot on on a very issue the matters most to majority of Filipino people. The government exists based on the needs and expectations of the Filipino people," he said.