LAW enforcement agencies must go by the rules and not kill with impunity in their fight against drug pushers, Senator Richard Gordon said Sunday.
“Kill drugs not people,” Gordon said.
“It’s not justifiable killing people to get the drug addicts. We do not throw the Rule of Law book out of the window,” said Gordon who replaced Senator Leila De Lima as head of the Senate’s justice and human rights committee.
He made his statement even as Malacañang said there would be enough money soon to put up drug rehabilitation centers for drug dependents.
“By next year, we will have a sufficient budget for the program of the President for the drug rehab centers,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar told the state-run dzRB radio.
Ilocos Norte Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas II said the police drive against illegal drugs could get much easier and less dangerous if a bill he had filed was approved authorizing the police to issue administrative subpoenas.
In Quezon City, Police Chief Guillermo Lorenzo said they would soon take their campaign against illegal drugs to the high-end bars and clubs.
De Lima was ousted from her post after presenting Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed Davao Death Squad hitman who testified that President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the killing of 1,000 suspected criminals and personal enemies when he was Davao City mayor.
Gordon said he supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s stance to stop the proliferation of illegal drugs.
He said illegal drugs should be eradicated or the day would come when drug lords and drug pushers were more heavily armed than law enforcers, citing Mexico and Colombia.
“Nevertheless, this [the campaign against illegal drugs] cannot be used as an excuse to flout the law and kill people indiscriminately,” Gordon said.
He said his committee would focus on creating new laws or injecting amendments to correct the flaws in existing laws to prevent incidents like convicts being released to kill people.
His committee would also ensure that policemen would strictly follow the rules of engagement.
‘‘The resolution covers the recent and rampant killings in our country,” Gordon said.
Senator Win Gatchalian has also called on the President to work with the judiciary in implementing reforms that will strengthen the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
The first priority, according to Gatchalian, is making sure the judiciary receives the money needed to hire more people and finance judicial operations at all levels.
The judiciary had asked for a P40.4-billion budget for 2017 but only received P32.5 billion.
“We cannot win the War on Drugs unless the judiciary is equipped with the resources it needs to efficiently bring drug offenders to justice,” Gatchalian said.