PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde reminded his men anew of the "strict" enforcement of guidelines during the conduct of police anti-illegal drug operations.
Albayalde reiterated that following policies and guidelines in conducting anti-illegal drug operations will put the police operatives on the right track to avoid operational lapses, mishandling situations, and ineffective supervision of subordinates in some cases.
"As we focus on the upcoming 2019 midterm elections, the PNP is also upgrading its well-sustained mechanism to intensify our relentless crusade against illegal drugs," he said.
Albayalde made the call in a bid to avoid putting the organization and the government's war against illegal drugs in peril, citing some lapses committed by police personnel were being used by some critics and detractors to put down the national campaign.
He said he issued anew a memorandum to all police regional directors for them to ensure the strict and keen selection and vetting procedures of members of police drug enforcement unit (DUE) to ensure its credibility.
Albayalde said there should be a quarterly evaluation of the DEUs.
"All regional directors were also ordered to supervise anti-illegal drug operations, especially in the arrest of high-value targets and other drug suspects within their area of responsibility, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)," he said.
"At the same time, all unit commanders were also reminded to supervise and monitor the operations and activities of their anti-illegal drug units against possible irregularities that often drag down the image of the PNP," he added.
Aside from protecting the organization and the government's war on drugs, Albayalde also reminded the cops to prioritize respect for human rights in every situation.
From July 1, 2016 to January 31, law enforcement agencies, including the PNP and PDEA, have conducted 119,841 anti-drug operations that resulted in the arrest of 170,689 drug personalities and the killing of 5,176 others.
The PNP earlier said those killed in anti-illegal drugs operations tried to fight it out, triggering the police to fire back and kill them.
In the earlier months of the government's war on drugs, the PNP was hit over several reports belying its "nanlaban" theories.
Among the infamous "nanlaban" incidents was that of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos and 19-year-old Karl Angelo Arnaiz, who were both killed in Caloocan City in August 2017.
Both incidents triggered the re-opening of the Senate inquiry on the alleged extra-judicial killings under President Rodrigo Duterte administration.
In November 2017, the court sentenced Police Officer (PO) 3 Arnel Oares and PO 1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz, the three police officers involved in Delos Santos' killing, of lifetime imprisonment after they were found guilty of murdering the victim. (SunStar Philippines)