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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider 'Dismissal is not enough': Chel Diokno wants jail term for cops linked to illegal drugs

'Dismissal is not enough': Chel Diokno wants jail term for cops linked to illegal drugs

Published Apr 17, 2022 12:22 pm

The more than 700 police officers who were involved in the illegal drug trade should not only be dismissed from service, but they must also be prosecuted and jailed, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said.

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno (Photo from Diokno’s Facebook page)

Diokno made the remark after the Philippine National Police (PNP) said that 714 out of the 5,599 police personnel sacked from their posts from July 2016 to March 30, 2022 under the Duterte administration were linked to drug-related cases.

“Dismissal is not enough,” he said, stressing these police scalawags “should be prosecuted and jailed for breaking the law that they are supposed to enforce.”

Diokno is running for senator under Vice President Leni Robredo’s slate in next month’s elections.

The veteran lawyer said that allowing the dismissed policemen not to be prosecuted or

jailed while innocent victims were killed in the government’s drug war reinforces the perception of a double standard and erodes the people’s trust in authorities.

“Hindi dapat hayaang makalusot nang ganun-ganun na lang ang mga pulis na ito habang maraming inosenteng Pilipino ang nakulong at napatay sa giyera ng gobyerno kontra ilegal na droga (These policemen should not be allowed to evade the law just like that while many innocent Filipinos were jailed and killed in the government’s war against illegal drugs),” Diokno said.

“Nananawagan tayo sa awtoridad na papanagutin din ang mga pulis na ito para mapatunayang patas ang pagpapatupad nila ng batas (I’m calling on the authorities to hold these policemen accountable to prove the fair implementation of the law),” he added.

If he wins a Senate seat, Diokno plans to push for an independent commission to investigate abuses allegedly committed or instigated by persons in authority, to avoid cover-ups and ensure that those who are supposed to enforce the law are punished when they blatantly break the law.

He also wants to establish access to free legal assistance in every barrio, like the Free Legal Helpdesk that he put up on his Facebook page, to provide ordinary citizens with immediate legal help.

Related Tags

Duterte administration jail term drug war PNP Chel Diokno senate bet illegal drugs
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