By Moira Encina
Eagle News Service
Solicitor General Jose Calida on Tuesday said that the petitions filed before the Supreme Court questioning the government’s war on drugs were but “ingenious moves” to “destabilize” the Duterte administration and “sow anarchy.”
In his opening statement at the resumption of oral arguments, Calida said the Almora petition, for one, prays “that the respondents or any of their agents, representatives or assigns be prohibited from implementing or enforcing any instructions, commands or utterances of President Duterte to the (Philippine National Police) and/or (the Department of the Interior and Local Government) in relation to the war on drugs/anti-illegal drug campaign.”
The petition was filed by lawyers from the Free Legal Assistance Group, who urged the Supreme Court to strike down as unconstitutional PNP Command Memorandum Circular No. 16 – 2016 that legitimizes Oplan Double Barrel, the police’s anti-drug campaign.
They also asked the High Court to declare as unconstitutional Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular 2017-112, which allows for people to report the offenses of those allegedly involved in illegal drugs, among others, anonymously.
The Dano petition for another, Calida said, asks the High Court to declare “police-free zones.”
This petition filed by, among others, the brother of an alleged Tokhang victim, sought relief against the anti-drug operations of the Manila Police District.
“Plainly, the petitions intend to 1. drive a wedge between the President on the one hand, and the PNP and DILG on the other, inciting disobedience to the chief executive and depriving him of his powers and prerogatives, and 2. emasculate the government’s police powers by rendering inutile the PNP’s sworn mandate to enforce law and maintain peace and order,” Calida said.
He said the Supreme Court “should not let these happen because they will have long-term catastrophic effects on the nation’s stability and security.”