Presidential Communications Operation Office (PCOO) Secretary Sonny Coloma welcomes new incoming Press Secretary Martin Andanar as they held a briefing with members of the Malacanang Press Corps at the press briefing room of the New Executive Building in the Malacañang grounds. (Monday June 06). (Photo by Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau)
(Eagle News) — Malacanang on Sunday commended the intensified efforts of law enforcers to fight illegal drugs.
A recent Philippine National Police (PNP) report showed that 68 drug suspects were killed this year, including 39 from January 1 to May 9.
The Philippine National Police said 29 drug suspects were killed from May 9 to June 15, indicating an increase of about 200 percent in the number of dead drug suspects after election day.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the increase in number of fatalities is part of the PNP’s intensified anti-illegal drugs campaign.
“Ang pagkaunawa ko diyan ay nag-ulat sila hinggil sa statistika ng kanilang anti-drug operation sa buong taon at tila ang kanilang ipinupunto diyan ay nagkaroon ng halos pantay na bilang ng mga nasabat o napaslang nitong period after the May elections kumpara doon sa unang limang buwan ng taong 2016,” said Coloma in an interview over Radyo ng Bayan.
“At ayon din sa natunghayan kong pahayag, sila na mismo ang nagsabi, na ito ay bahagi ng kanilang pinaigting na kampanya. Yaman din lamang at tungkulin ito ng ating Pambansang Pulisya ay dapat kilalanin natin ang kanilang pagsisikap na magampanan ang kanilang tungkulin sa pinakamahusay na paraan at ito ay ginagawa nila bilang pagpapatupad sa ating mga batas,” said Coloma.
The PNP also reported that 17,680 individuals were arrested from January to June 15. Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Quezon) has the most number of arrested individuals with 4,874 followed by Metro Manila with 3,760 and Central Luzon with 3,004.