Illegal drugs trade a 'national security concern' -- Guevarra
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra on Wednesday, June 1, defended President Duterte’s move to deny human rights group access to information on illegal drugs trade.
“As far as the President is concerned, the festering illegal drug problem is not just an ordinary criminal matter; it has risen up to the level of a national security concern, as it threatens the very fabric of a peaceful and orderly society,” Guevarra stressed.
Thus, he justified the President’s move to deny certain groups access to records of deaths of illegal drug suspects and communist rebels due to issues involving national security.
“He (the President) has expressed some reservations about disclosure of sensitive intelligence information pertaining to the drug war itself,” Guevarra said.
“The President could have been referring to the network of drug syndicates, their protectors and financiers, the foreign suppliers, and other classified information,” he added.
But Guevarra said the DOJ is assured that the President will not restrain the review of the case records on deaths resulting in illegal drugs operations.
“These (deaths) are criminal matters, more of a criminal nature than a national security concern,” he said.
“I spoke about the drug war review last year before the United Nations; he (Duterte) didn't say anything to restrain it,” he recounted.
“I submitted an initial report to the President and spoke again before the human rights council last February, noting certain lapses in police operations; the President never called my attention to it,” he added.
He also pointed out that he and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar met and agreed to allow the DOJ to access and review the cases the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) investigated concerning the killings that took place during anti-illegal drugs operations.
“Then the DOJ and the PNP agreed to share information on administrative cases filed against erring police officers. up to that point, the President has not raised any objection,” Guevarra recalled.