Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The streets of Manila seemed unusually quiet the day Oplan Tokhang (the government’s anti-drug campaign) was suspended — at least according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Save for one case of a vigilante-style killing, there were no reported deaths due to police operations on Monday.
The PNP dissolved all its anti-illegal drugs units on Monday due to cases of police corruption and abuse.
The most controversial of these cases was the kidnapping and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo, in which two police officers belonging to the anti-illegal drugs unit are the primary suspects.
Some policemen allegedly extort money from their victims under the guise of Oplan Tokhang.
READ: War on drugs suspended, takes back seat in war against rogue cops
PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said suspending the drug war will make it easier for the PNP to track down vigilantes who use police operations as a coverup.
Based on PNP data from July 1 2016 to January 31,2017, more than 2,500 drug suspects were killed and more than 53,000 were arrested in legitimate police operations.
The PNP records 4,000 more deaths as “under investigation”— and are reported to be vigilante-style killings. This is based on PNP records from July 1 to December 15,2016.
Vigilantes are reacting to the PNP’s decision to put the drug war on hold, Dela Rosa said.
The PNP chief added he is “dead serious” about his efforts to “cleanse” the police force.
Read: Caught on video: Police allegedly planting evidence during raid
New task force
Dela Rosa admitted it will be hard to hunt down rogue cops.
He wants to ensure only good officers will be part of the newly created Counter-Intelligence Task Force, a team that will identify cops involved in illegal activities.
“Mala-santo ang mga tao na nandyan para hindi talaga malagyan ng duda yung kanilang ginagawa. Kailangan malinis mailagay natin diyan,” Dela Rosa said.
[Translation: “Saint-like people should be in the task force so no one will doubt what they’re doing. We need to put good people there.”]
Senior Supt. Jose Chiquito Malayo will head the group.
Malayo is the deputy chief of the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office. He was the Zamboanga City police chief during the attack of the Moro National Liberation Front in 2013.
The task force will initially have a hundred policemen.
Related: Duterte seeks PNP revamp to get rid of corrupt cops
