
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil has ordered a comprehensive review of the bloody war on drugs that was persecuted by the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, saying he wanted to evaluate the effectiveness, as well as identify the strengths and weaknesses of Oplans Tokhang and Double Barrel which defined the drug war.
The initiative aims to enhance the PNP’s recalibrated anti-drug campaign under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which focuses on dismantling drug supply chains instead of street-level pushers and users, and in a reversal of the previous mindset, supposedly puts emphasis on the preservation of human life.
“We need to take a hard look at our past and present strategies in the fight against illegal drugs. By understanding what worked and what did not, we can refine our approach and ensure a more effective and humane campaign moving forward,” Marbil said.
To ensure a comprehensive and balanced evaluation, representatives from the Internal Affairs Service and the PNP Human Rights Office are part of the review panel.
The war on drugs was the flagship policy of the Duterte administration, launched in 2016 and implemented by his first PNP chief, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Both have been tagged by the International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor as suspects in its ongoing investigation into the bloody drug war.
Marbil said the review is about continuous improvement and accountability in law enforcement operations.
A government policy such as a drug war that resulted in the deaths of thousands, enough to earn the attention of the International Criminal Court, certainly needs a review, and this one is a long time coming. If its success can be quantified, well and good. However, if it is proven to be a failure, responsibility and accountability will be necessary, along with measures and safeguards to ensure that it does not happen again. If there were any lessons to be learned from between those extremes, the PNP and its leadership must take to heart, if only to ensure that the sacrifice of an estimated 16,000 to 30,000 lives were not totally in vain.*