MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang downplayed Tuesday any possible impact of the “ninja cops” controversy to the credibility of the Duterte administration’s war against illegal drugs.
“Hindi naman (Not really),” Palace spokesperson and chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing when asked if corruption issues hounding members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), a lead implementor of the drug war, could affect the campaign’s credibility.
According to Panelo, the number of cops allegedly linked to the supposed re-selling of seized illegal drugs is too small compared to the total number of the police force.
“Because, unang-una, na-expose sila. Kung na-expose sila eh di patay na sila, nasira na, na-derail na iyong kanilang programa,” Panelo explained.
(First of all, they [ninja cops] were exposed. Now that they’re exposed, their program has been derailed.)
“Pangalawa, tuloy pa naman iyong – ilan lang ba ang 13 out of so many thousands of PNP, kapiranggot lang iyon eh. Kapiranggot lang iyon, 13 out of how many other members of the police force,” he added.
(Second, 13 is only how many of the thousands of PNP. That’s just a small number, 13 out of how many other members of the police force.)
Panelo then touted the success of the Duterte administration’s drug war, saying many drug addicts have already surrendered or rehabilitated.
“The fact is the President has dismantled many drug apparatus in this country and jailed many police scalawags involved in the drug operation and arrested many people involved in pushing the illegal drugs and many have surrendered, many have been rehabilitated,” Panelo claimed. /kga