THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to build up a case against 150 police personnel involved in the deaths of 50 drug personalities amid the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs.
DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the panel reviewing 52 drug war deaths found possible criminal liability on the part of the police.
"The DOJ noted that based on the facts gathered by the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS), the police officers involved in these cases were not only administratively liable; the existing evidence pointed to their possible criminal liability as well," said Guevarra in a message to reporters on Sunday, October 3, 2021.
"The DOJ thus informed the PNP that these cases will be endorsed to the NBI for case build-up and filing of criminal complaints if warranted by the evidence," he added.
If the NBI finds the evidence gathered by the IAS enough, charges will be immediately filed against the concerned policemen.
He said the DOJ panel and the NBI will hold a meeting on Tuesday, October 5.
As of August 31, 6,191 drug personalities had been killed amid the government’s drug war that started when President Rodrigo Duterte took office in July 2016.
A total of 307,521 drug suspects have been arrested in the conducted of 213,504 anti-drug operations.
Over P64 billion worth of illegal drugs, including P52.96 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, were seized during the said period.
The government said out of the 42,045 barangays nationwide, 22,858 have been declared cleared from illegal drugs operations. (SunStar Philippines)