(UPDATED) - President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a memorandum allowing the Philippine National Police (PNP) to have an "active participation" in his brutal crackdown on illegal drugs, Malacañang said on Tuesday, December 5.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., in a chance interview with Palace reporters, said this developed during the President's command conference with the police and military held in Malacañang earlier Tuesday.
Roque said the PNP's role in the drug war resumed but clarified that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) remains the lead agency.
"This supersedes the previous memorandum that designated the PDEA as the sole agency that will deal with the anti-drug operations," Roque said.
"PDEA remains the lead agency but the PNP will again participate in the anti-illegal drug operations," he added.
Aside from the PNP, other agencies that will support PDEA are the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the Philippine Postal Office (PhilPost).
Duterte signed on October 10 a memorandum stripping the PNP of its lead role in the anti-narcotics campaign after some of its personnel were implicated in the killing of suspected drug offenders.
"Take note though that the language of the memorandum is that they will resume, I quote, 'They will resume, providing active support in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, in the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations.' Meaning, PDEA remains the lead but the PNP will again participate in the anti-illegal drug operation," he added.
Duterte's drug war has been met with widespread criticisms following the deaths of minors Kian Loyd delos Santos and Carl Angelo Arnaiz, who were both gunned down by police officers during separate operations in Caloocan City in August.
The killings of delos Santos and Arnaiz, who were reportedly on their knees when shot, sparked protests nationwide, prompting Duterte to designate the PDEA as the sole agency that will conduct the drug war on October 10.
Roque said Malacañang would release the memorandum, once the Office of the Executive Secretary provides a copy of the official document.
The proclamation, which was read by Roque, states: "There has been a notable resurgence in illegal drugs in the Philippines and crimes committed since the PNP and the other law enforcement agencies were directed to yield to the PDEA the conduct of all anti-illegal drugs operations."
"There has been a clamor from the public for the PNP. There is possibility of providing active support on the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations. And therefore, the NBI, PNP, AFP, BOC, Philpost and other agencies involved in Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force shall resume in providing active support to PDEA," the proclamation further states.
Duterte had twice suspended the police force's lead role in the war on illegal drugs.
In January, Duterte ordered the suspension of the PNP's anti-illegal drugs operations following the abduction-slay of Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo by policemen in the guise of drug war.
He, however, ordered the PNP in March to support the PDEA in its fight against illegal drugs.
In October, Duterte again stripped the police of its lead role in the anti-narcotics campaign following the killing of Delos Santos and Arnaiz. (SunStar Philippines)