Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 20) — President Rodrigo Duterte and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa visited the wake of a policeman killed by an alleged drug suspect in Pasig City.
Duterte arrived at the wake of Police Officer (PO) 3 Wilfredo Gueta’s wake early Wednesday morning.
“I’m here to show to the people na galit talaga ako sa droga, na kung hindi talaga kayo hihinto, mamatay talaga kayo,” Duterte said.
[Translation: I’m here to show to the people that I’m really mad at drugs, that if you don’t stop, you will really die.]
Gueta was killed by alleged drug dealer Roberto Lianugo on Monday, while his partner, PO1 Raymond Dela Cruz was injured.
The two police officers were verifying information about the suspected drug dealer when the encounter happened. Lianugo was killed during the encounter.
Duterte said the government has extended financial assistance to his family.
Dela Rosa, meanwhile, said heinous crimes were on the rise following the halt in police operations against illegal drugs.
“Yung mga nagtatago noon na kriminal, mga nagtatago na drug pusher, nagsipaglitawan na naman noong huminto ang PNP, at nagmamayabang pa na hindi na kami pwede galawin ng pulis dahil hands-off na ang pulis sa war on drugs,” Dela Rosa said.
[Translation: The criminals and drug pushers that were previously in hiding, they went out when the PNP stopped the operations, even taunting that the police can’t touch them because we are hands-off from the drug war.]
Other high-ranking police officials, including National Capital Region Police Office director Oscar Albayalde also visited the wake.
Dela Rosa said the police is even more motivated now that they have an active hand again in the government’s war against drugs.
The PNP chief led the ceremonial giving of a posthumous award to Gueta, who left a wife and three young children.
The war against illegal drugs has been Duterte’s main platform even before his presidency.
Shortly after Duterte took office, the PNP enforced “Oplan Tokhang” and “Oplan Double Barrel,” cracking down on drug personalities nationwide.
The anti-drug operations were heavily criticized due to alleged extrajudicial killings, including those of slain teens Kian Delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz, and Reynaldo de Guzman.
On October 11, Duterte ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to take the lead role in the war on illegal drugs, instead of the PNP.
READ: Duterte gives PDEA lead role in drug war
However, the President mentioned on several occasions that he wanted the police to return to the anti-drug campaign, which he eventually did on December 6.
READ: Duterte allows police to go back to drug war
Police data showed that from July 31, 2016 to October 10, 2017, over 1.26 million drug personalities have surrendered to the police.
It added the operations resulted in the death of 3,933 drug personalities and 80 uniformed men, while 238 others were injured.
READ: Police data: More than 1.26 M drug personalities has surrendered to PNP
