SWEEDEN VELADO/PTV: Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the Malacañang Press Corps, welcome to the Real Numbers PH Press Briefing of Assistant Secretary Marie Rafael Banaag.
ASEC. BANAAG: Good morning Sweeden, at magandang umaga po sa ating lahat.
Since its launch in May 2017, agencies in government involved in the implementation of the programs related to illegal drugs have exerted collaborative effort to update us on the latest data – the numbers corresponding to the arrests, confiscation, seizure and operations. Every month since May 2017, we see numbers that allow us to understand how we are progressing in the campaign against illegal drugs.
Today, we would be including data from the Department of Justice and from the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management of the PNP. And joining us this morning are:
Atty. Reynante B. Orceo, Undersecretary of the DOJ. He has been an active litigator for 17 years before he entered the government services. His exposure on the field of law involves corporate, civil, commercial and criminal litigation. He has been engaged several times on election-related concerns.
From the Philippine National Police is Police Chief Superintendent Dionardo B. Carlos. He is the current Chief of the Public Information Office of the PNP. He is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy in 1988, and has almost 30 years of police and military service. He served under the PNP-SAF, NCRPO, CALABARZON, Central Visayas, the former Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force and the PDEA.
And from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency is Director Derrick Carreon. He is the Spokesperson of the PDEA and the Director of the PDEA Laboratory Service.
Ladies and gentlemen, let’s welcome our nagpipitagang mga bisita sa Malacañang Press Briefing Room. May we ask Undersecretary Reynante Orceo to present the DOJ cards.
USEC. ORCEO: Yes, good morning everyone. I’m the Undersecretary of the DOJ in charge with drug-related concern.
On the DOJ part, what we have is a total complaint filed and handled by our local prosecutors nationwide. The complaint came from different sources – from the NBI, PDEA, PNP. We have a total of 96,943 complaints between the period from July to December 2016, and January to September 2017. Out of these complaints, we have disposed, filed in court or dismissed cases with a total of figures of 95,242. We have a pending case of 1,701 – these pending cases would involve motions for reconsiderations filed in the local prosecutor, and some have reached DOJ on an automatic review; and some of which were reached the Supreme Court via petition for certiorari. On our part, the total disposal rate of the DOJ nationwide on cases filed on drug cases is about 98.25%
So any questions related to this, you may ask later after we finish the presentation.
ASEC. BANAAG: Thank you, Undersecretary Orceo. May we ask the PNP to present their cards.
P/CSUPT. CARLOS: From the Philippine National Police, particularly from the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, for the period in review, we have conducted 64,506 police anti-drug operations, which resulted to the arrest of 102,069 drug personalities. Of these operations, we were able to file in court 42,182 cases and another 21,908 were referred to the prosecution office, while there are remaining 416 cases under investigation.
On the homicide cases under investigation, on the same period in review, during investigation, we have determined that there are 2,235 drug-related incidents or cases which is—this 11.42% of the total number of homicide cases for the period in review. And of these drug-related incidents or cases, 403 have been resolved already or solved; while the remaining 1,822 cases are still under investigation. Thank you.
ASEC. BANAAG: May we have the PDEA Spokesperson…
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Thank you, ma’am.
For consolidated data on the anti-drug campaign, with data emanating from the PDEA, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Customs, a total of 81,919 anti-drug operations have been conducted; 119,361 drug personalities arrested; and, we have 3,987 drug personalities who died during anti-drug operations.
We have confiscated 2,577.05 kilograms of methamphetamine or shabu, with a street value of 13.24 billion pesos, and an increase of 114.16 million pesos from the previous period last month.
Also, we have confiscated dangerous drugs, controlled precursors, essential chemicals and laboratory equipment worth 19.34 billion pesos – which is an increase of 222.5 million pesos compared to the previous period.
We have likewise arrested 446 government workers during anti-drug operations. This is broken down into 189 elected officials, 44 uniformed personnel and 213 government employees.
The anti-drug campaign also has its casualties – 313 broken down into 87 killed-in-action and 200 law enforcers wounded. We have also rescued 589 minors during anti-drug operations. And dismantled a total of 174 drug dens and 9 clandestine shabu laboratories. Thank you very much.
PIA RANADA/RAPPLER: Hi, sir. Sir, can I just know, what does it mean when you say cases solved? Does this mean that the suspect has been apprehended, there has been cases filed in court? What does that mean?
P/CSUPT. CARLOS: Cases are solved when suspect have been identified, arrested and cases have been filed in court.
PIA RANADA/RAPPLER: And sir, could we just have a breakdown of the drug-related cases? How many of these cases are of those in which law enforcers were found to not have been following due process or any of the procedures when it—for example, kung… if they kill a suspect who is unarmed? Do we have breakdown for those—?
P/CSUPT. CARLOS: Yes, we do have. But that does not fall on the HCUI, it falls under the investigation of the PNP Internal Affairs Service. Everytime that the gun is used and a suspect or law enforcers have been killed or wounded, automatically Internal Affairs Service conducts the investigation – and this is under IAS, Internal Affairs Service.
PIA RANADA/RAPPLER: So do you have figures of cases like that?
PCSUPT. CARLOS: We can provide you… we will the ask the Internal Affairs Service to be able to provide you with the data.
PIA RANADA/RAPPLER: Would you have any… kahit general figure/percentage of how many cases—how often this happens, when police do not follow procedure or attack an unarmed suspect?
P/CSUPT. CARLOS: Well, it would be different cases ano. We handle it per case. What we’re presenting to you this morning are cases related to the campaign against illegal drugs. Internal Affairs will be able to provide you. I don’t have the data right now, but I’ll be happy to provide you. I’ll ask Internal Affairs to provide you with the data.
PIA RANADA/RAPPLER: And sir, last from me. Can we get updates on whatever happened to Peter Lim?
P/CSUPT. CARLOS: I’ll get update on that. Because when the name was presented, ang ginawa po natin diyan is—a case buildup has been done by Criminal Investigation and Detective Management—CIDG, Criminal Investigation Detection Group, and then together with the other agencies that helped validate the information and built a case against the person named.
PIA: Is he in the Philippines?
SPOX CARLOS: I don’t have the data on that, information.
PIA: Is he abroad?
SPOX CARLOS: Again. I would provide you with the data when I am provided.
PIA: How serious, sir, UN actually looking for Peter Lim. You seem to not have any information about him?
SPOX CARLOS: The PNP is very serious in getting personalities that have been named. We are serous in the campaign against illegal drugs, not just, under the HVT, High Value Target. He is one of the targets in HVT project.
PIA: Sir, the case that you mentioned what were the conclusions made about Peter Lim?
SPOX CARLOS: Again, I will get the data. The data presented today are on real numbers, that’s the one that I have right now, sorry.
ROSE NOVENARIO/HATAW: Hi good morning, sir. Sir, meron pong nilabas na 2017 global report on human rights ang Human Rights Watch na ang sinasabi po nila ay 12,000 daw po ang napatay sa pagsusulong daw po ng administrasyon ng drug war at karamihan daw po nito ay mula sa maralitang taga-lunsod at ang iba raw po ay mga bata. Iyon po bang HRW ay nakipag-coordinate sa inyo bago sila naglabas ng data?
SPOX CARLOS: Wala po akong nalalaman na paghingi ng datos ng HRW especially on that. Sinasabi po nila na 12,000 cases. Alam n’yo po iyong numero palaki ng palaki! However, kapag kinuha po natin iyong specific, let say what is the 12,000 case hininhingi po namin iyon para matugunan po namin, maibigay namin iyong sagot. Unfortunately, we hope that they will be more specific, engage us so we can help look into the cases, itong sinasabi po nila.
ROSE/HATAW: May panawagan po iyong PNP sa HRW at sa iba pang human right groups tungkol po sa paglalabas po ng data tungkol dito sa drug war?
SPOX CARLOS: We released the data through the real numbers and the information are given, consolidated under the real numbers, including the information po.
ROSE/HATAW: So iyong galing lang po sa real numbers ang official data tungkol po sa drug war?
SPOX CARLOS: We can release data that are requested sa PNP po through the DIDM, which has, sila po iyong repository ng mga information pertaining to investigation.
ACE ROMERO/PHIL STAR: Regarding iyong number of homicide cases being investigated. You mentioned more that 2,000 related to drugs, pero ilan po iyong total homicide cases being probed?
SPOX CARLOS: For the homicide cases under investigation there are a total of 19,568 for the period in the review. That 19,568 cases these are of different motives, kaya nga po ang binigay po namin dito ay iyong nakita po natin, after investigating these cases, doon lumalabas na may 2,235 na drug-related, na may koneksyon sa kampanya laban sa illegal na droga at ito ay 11.42%.
The rest are crimes o krimen na nangyayari sa ating mga lansangan. Iba’t-ibang motibo at ang nakikita po natin dito ay ang pinakamalaki po dito ay personal grudge o heated argument, iyong pag-aaway na nauuwi sa pagkamatay ng isang biktima. Ang isa naman pong dahilan, the top three that we see ay iyon pong personal gain, meron po siyang gustong kunin o meron siyang gustong makuha after that incident kung saan nagkakaroon po ng pagpatay sa isang nagiging biktima.
ACE/PHIL. STAR: So you still maintain that based on your deifinition, zero pa rin iyong cases ng EJKs?
SPOX CARLOS: Again, I will go back to AO 35, that data officially, ma-ire-release po ng ‘Task Force USIG.’
ACE/PHIL. STAR: So, zero pa rin so far?
SPOX CARLOS: We will get the data from the Task Force USIG po.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: Sir, just to fine tune your data. 19,000 is the number of personal individuals, meaning persons or cases?
SPOX CARLOS: Cases, yes sir.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: And then, so diyan iyon papasok na out of the 19,000 you only have 2,235 that are drug-related, correct?
SPOX CARLOS: Tama po, sir.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: So how many total deaths do we have not cases, but individuals who were killed or homicide cases?
SPOX CARLOS: Iniba po kasi namin iyong may relasyon tungkol sa ating kampanya sa illegal na droga. I can give you the number later, sir.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: All right, so iyong 19,000 that’s the universe and then 2,000 iyong kinuha ninyo diyan drug-related and then the individuals more than, nearly 4,000. 3,987 only!
SPOX CARLOS: Yeah, that’s correct!
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: What we don’t have now is that your number of cases na 19,568 we don’t know how many tied in these cases. Kasi medyo merong ibang cases na.
SPOX CARLOS: Opo, these are regular crime happening in the street, tiningnan lang po natin na iyong mahigit 2,000 ay ito po iyong may koneksyon sa kampanya laban sa illegal na droga.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: So in short, sir, there have been, according to your data, government data, there were 3,987 drug addicts were killed?
SPOX CARLOS: Drug personalities.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: Sir, just going to the PDEA. Since October, sir, kasi iyong data ninyo is form July, since the campaign started. But I am interested doon sa PDA na figure ng October to January, Ilang operations that you have conducted as the lead agency and then the deaths and those related data.
SPOX CARREON: We will submit the singular data from PDEA when we went solo for about almost two months, hanggang December 5 po iyon. I’ll just get from the staff later. Pero sa deaths during that period, I think there were only 2.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: How do you explain, that, sir?
SPOX CARREON: Well, it could be attributed to several factors, lumaban basically, iyon lang naman ang usual na ano niyan eh.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: I mean, in terms of the number. There seems to be less death with the PDEA more than the PNP? Explain, why do you have less deaths than the police if you are now the lead agency?
SPOX CARREEN: Hindi naman siguro direct comparison ano, pero may guidance kasi si Director General Aaron Aquino na inimbitahan natin ang media to join us during operations, even in fact, now we are moving into inviting prosecutors and to wear body cameras as well. Hindi lang iyong tropa natin, pero pati media, pati iyong prosecutor na iimbitahan to make our operations more transparent. And I believe same move is also being done with our counterparts in the PNP now with resumption of their operations.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: So, it’s possible to have a less bloody campaign?
SPOX CARREON: Yes, it is, sir.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: Since nandiyan naman na kayo pareho. Explain again, papano iyong magiging coordination, if you are the lead agency, so papano iyan? Just explain in operations sense. If you are going to go into one suspected household where there is a drug addict, papano iyong magiging coordination with the PNP?
SPOX CARREON: May demarcation po kami ng targets. Kasi the PDEA does not have presence of two barangays or municipalities and so that is why we need the Philippine National Police in attending two straight level, illegal drug activities. But of course they also have units that attend to high value targets kaya nga meron iyong PNP Drug Enforcement Group and its counterparts in the regional and even the provincial and city level.
So when there is a high value target that will be arrested or that means to be operated on, then there will be mandatory PDEA presence in such operations.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: Iyong mga street level?
SPOX CARREON: Well, the street level operations of course all operations will be coordinated with us, whether it’s street level or up to a high value. But again, iyong presensya namin na tandem with the police operatives will be for the high value targets and the high impact operations.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: Will you be there in the street level drug addicts?
SPOC CARREON: It doesn’t necessarily follow dahil nga po iyong presensiya po natin ay hanggang provincial, skeletal tayo haggang provincial offices and full compliment on regional offices.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: So ibig sabihin, sir kapag sa mga kanto-kanto lang ito, pulis pa rin, tokhang pa rin siya?
SPOX CARREON: Yes sir, kasi sila po iyong may presensya don sa localities.
SPOX CARLOS: Just to correct, there are two types of operation. Pag iyan po ay buy bust operation, hindi po tokhang iyan! Ang tokhang po kasi is the knock and plead. That is to be able to reach out and put value to the life of the drug personalities. Opo, normally, it’s an anti-drug police operation: staying, buy-bust, raid. Pag tokhang po, this is when we knock and plead na we ask them to surrender and
TUESDAY NIU/DZBB: Thank you sir. To General Carlos sir and Director Derrick. Sir, may statement recently PNP Chief Dela Rosa na ire-revive ng PNP ang Oplan Tokhang. And there was this statement also coming from Director General Aaron Aquino saying that, sana palitan na lang ng ibang pangalan iyong ‘Oplan Tokhang’ kasi hindi naging maganda iyong imahe ng PNP and the administration of Duterte doon sa Oplan Tokhang dahil nga po doon sa incidents of… mga patayan daw po.
So, was there a consultation na naganap na po between the PNP and PDEA regarding this at ano po iyong puwede ninyong mai-suggest kung papalitan man iyong ‘Oplan Tokhang’ na ibang pangalan na lang?
P/CSUPT CARLOS: May lumabas diyan during biruan sa media. Anyway, to answer the question, unang una po ang sagot po ni Chief PNP is a ‘what’s in the name?’ That is the term used.
Again, para po sa kaalaman ng mas nakakarami, ang nagbigay ho ng pinakalamaking resulta doon sa kampanya sa iligal na droga iyong Tokhang po, iyong 1.309 drug personalities that were able to surrender and then ina-assist po natin, iyon po talaga iyong resulta, iyong natulungan po natin. Now, unfortunately nagamit po iyong Tokhang na nag-iba ho ang meaning. Again, we—si Chief po ang tinitingnan po niya ay—iyon ho iyong talagang nagbigay ng resulta. Kapag operation po ng—police anti-drug operation, buy-bust po iyan hindi po Tokhang.
Ang Tokhang po ay ‘pag-abot sa buhay ng ating pong mga kababayan na nalululong sa droga o na-i-involve sa droga na makapagbigay—mabigyan natin sila ng ‘pagkakataon na magbago. Kaya naman po inilalapit po natin sila sa mga local government units, sa DOH, sa DSWD upang maibigay naman po iyong tulong. Sana po makita po natin na ito po iyong totoong Tokhang at kung coordination po ang ‘pag-uusapan ay patuloy po iyong coordination ng PNP at ng PDEA through our Directorate for Operations si Police Director Camilo Cascolan para nga po iyong everyday na nakikita ho na glitches o maaring pagsimulan ng problema ay nabibigyan po ng solusyon. So tuloy-tuloy po iyan na ginagawa po ng PDEA at ng aming Directorate for Operation.
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Yes, Ma’am. On the side of PDEA, si Director General Aaron Aquino clarified na it was a suggestion on our part. Pero dahil banner program po ito ng PNP nasa sa kanila pa rin naman iyon to continue the campaign of which the intention was really good. You revisit the literally translation of Tokhang, hindi naman po masama iyong intensiyon niya. So it is just—it just so happens na nabigyan ng masamang connotation because of some unfortunate misinterpretation somewhere along the way. Pero wala pong masamang intensyon ang Tokhang.
TUESDAY/DZBB: Would you rather change it na lang sir para hindi na ulit maulit na ganoon na maging pangit ang tingin ng publiko sa PNP… iyong ‘Oplan Tokhang’ name?
P/CSUPT CARLOS: Again, I’ll subscribe to the statement of the Chief PNP. Kung nagamit po sa maling meaning iyong Tokhang, ang tingnan po natin iyong intensyon ng Philippine National Police, ng gobyerno na iabot iyong tulong sa atin pong mga kababayan na nalululong sa droga at gumagamit ng droga at iyon pong mga nagtutulak na sana ay mabigyan sila ng pagkakataong magbago. We value the life of our fellow Filipinos and the Tokhang delivered the 1.309 million and continually delivering. We hope maintindihan po at ma-explain, maibahagi sa ating mga kababayan na ito po iyong totoong Tokhang – abutin ang ating mga kababayan at mabigyan ng pagkakataong makapagbago.
TUESDAY/DZBB: Thank you sir.
DEXTER GANIBE/DZMM: Follow up lang sir doon sa—kay Tuesday. Since nasimulan iyong Oplan Tokhang, iyong ‘katok and hangyo.’ May chances ba na may nanlaban doon sa mga kinausap?
P/CSUPT CARLOS: Well the possibility is yes mayroon. Ang ating po, ang ginagawa po natin ngayon, iyong—the second version of double barrel specific na po doon na ang puwede lang pong mag-tokhang ay iyong unipormadong pulis kasama po ang ibang sektor – ng media, simbahan, prosecutor. Isinasama po natin ang ibang sektor para makita po nila na ito po iyong ginagawang pag-Tokhang. Ngayon po—
DEXTER/DZMM: Kasama po ba siya ng ‘Real numbers’ or naisama na siya doon sa mga police operations sa mga namatay?
P/CSUPT CARLOS: Isasama po sa atin pong kampanya iyong surrenderers—na isasama po iyong resulta ng Tokhang doon po sa nagsu-surrender, iyon po ang resulta.
DEXTER/DZMM: I mean, iyong sa mga namatay na nanlaban na sinasabi ninyo na hindi malayong may mangyaring nanlaban at napatay?
P/CSUPT CARLOS: Opo. Kung may nangyari po iyan otomatiko po ang Internal Affair Service conduct the investigation at kung nagkakamali po iyon ating pong mga miyembro, kinakasuhan ho ito ng administratibo at kung may criminal aspect, criminal cases din po ang naisasampa.
DEXTER/DZMM: I mean sir, the number of the deaths, are they included in the list doon sa mga police operation na namatay o may separate tayo na Oplan Tokhang na namatay?
P/CSUPT CARLOS: Hindi po, nakalagay po iyon sa ‘died during police op,’ hindi po iyon sa Tokhang ano. When it is a—somebody died we look at it kung saan siya puwedeng… anong category siya puwedeng ilagay.
DEXTER/DZMM: Oo kasi my question is: Doon sa operation ng Oplan Tokhang ‘pag kayo ay kumakatok at nakikiusap na itigil na. Sabi ninyo kasi probably may namatay. Saan sila naibibilang?
P/CSUPT CARLOS: I will look at the specific case ano. Kasi ‘pag iyan under ng campaign against illegal drugs iyan.
DEXTER/DZMM: Okay, last point. Last 2017 binuwag iyong anti-illegal drugs group ng PNP. So papaano po magpa-function ngayon ang PNP sa anti-illegal drugs campaign?
P/CSUPT CARLOS: Opo. Pagsunod sa batas kami po ay nagbuo ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Group, ito na po iyong kapalit ng Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force bilang kasama o katulong ng PDEA sa ‘pagpapatupad ng Republic Act 9165. So mayroon po tayong PDEG, nandiyan po iyan at regular din po iyong pakikipag-ugnayan ng PDEG diretso sa PDEA.
DEXTER/DZMM: Thank you sir.
ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: Magandang umaga sir. Sir Derrick, magandang umaga. Sir, wala pang Duterte administration may report na sinasabing more than 90% ng mga barangay dito lang sa Metro Manila affected ng illegal drugs. Iyong update natin sir, ilan na ngayon iyong affected na mga barangay dito lang sa Metro Manila muna sir?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Iyong drug affectation rate po ng Metro Manila nasa ganoon pa din more or less, hindi naman 98 nasa 94. But I have the total figure on barangay drug clearing. So far ang atin pong drug affectation ay nasa 58.1% with 24,424 of the 42,036 barangays nationwide are considered as affected in varying degrees. Pero the good news is, as of January—sorry or as of December, 5,077 na po ang ating nare-recover na drug affected barangays.
ALVIN/RADYO PILIPINAS: So sir kung ang pag-uusapan natin ay bilang ng mga barangay, hindi ganoon kababa iyong ibinaba ng mga apektadong barangay when it comes to illegal drugs sir ano?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: In Metro Manila?
ALVIN/RADYO PILIPINAS: In Metro Manila lang muna sir.
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Well in Metro Manila, its is still an ongoing effort. Siyempre challenge mag-clear ng drug affected barangays anywhere and specially in a metropolis like Manila. At talagang ang kailangan iyan ay tutukuan lang hindi ng law enforcement but barangay drug clearing is of course an effort with a local government unit and other concerned sectors.
ALVIN/RADYO PILIPINAS: Sir how about doon sa involvement mismo ng mga nasa barangay? Lalo na ngayon sir may plano si Usec. Diño ng DILG na kumuha ng drug list doon sa mga barangay.
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Tama po iyon.
ALVIN/RADYO PILIPINAS: Doon sa data ninyo sir ilan iyong mga barangay officials; gaano kalala iyong involvement ng nasa barangay?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Please allow us to fetch that data sir kasi hindi natin hawak sa ngayon iyong specific to the barangay involvement ‘no. But we’ll get back to you on it sir.
ALVIN/RADYO PILIPINAS: Thank you sir.
SWEEDEN VELADO/PTV4: Director Carreon may we request that you repeat the figures for the barangay affected areas?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Yes, Ma’am. The total drug affectation nationwide – 24,424 drug affected barangays, that represents 58.1 %; and the total drug cleared barangays is 5,077.
Q: (off mike)
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: 42,036 sir.
Q: 42 thousand?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: 36. Which is why sir in one engagement our Director General has laid out a plan to clear about a… figure of 5 to 7,000 barangays every year for the next 4 years so that we can achieve that vision of barangay… or a drug free country with all drug affected barangays properly addressed before the President’s term.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: Sir, iyong sa Metro Manila ilang barangays do we have in Metro Manila and the affectation?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Sir, please allow me to fetch that data for you. Medyo… opo, medyo mahirap, hindi natin hawak ngayon.
ROSE NOVERNARIO/HATAW: Hi sir, good morning po uli. Sir, may ongoing pong inisyatiba iyong Simbahang Katoliko at ang mga barangay sa pagtatayo ng community-based drug rehabilitation centers. Ano po iyong tulong dito ng pamahalaan, partikular po ng PDEA, PNP at saka ng DOJ or DSWD, DOH para po masustina po nila lalo na ho iyong aspeto ng pagbibigay po ng sustainable livelihood sa mga dati pong drug dependents na na-rehabilitate na’t na-recover na po ang kanilang dating buhay?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Ma’am for this year, Director General Aaron Aquino will be launching a nationwide campaign which will entail two parts: one is of course the establishment of the Balay Silangan, which is a community-based reformation program to address—to give information to the surrenderers na dumadagsa naman po because of the effort of the Philippine National Police dito sa Tokhang. Kasi ang importante po rito, gaya noong sinabi niya, noong siya po’y Regional Director ng Police Regional Office III, naitatag po niya sa lahat ng municipalities in Region III iyong tinatawag na ‘Bahay Pagbabago.’
Now in order to replicate that effort nationwide, by March this year, we will be launching what is called the ‘Balay Silangan’ of which is actually a continuation of the ‘Bahay Pagbabago’ to—in tying up with all municipalities and cities nationwide. Ang karugtong naman po nito, will be of course iyong ‘Sagisag ng Tagumpay Laban sa Iligal na Droga,’ which will be given or awarded to all local government units who will help us establish this ‘Balay Silangan.’ Para lahat na po ng LGUs, may mapupuntahan iyong mga surrenderers at hindi na po kailangan magturuan kung saan bibigyan ng kaukulang intervention itong 1.3 million and still increasing number of surrenderers natin.
So iyon po, magiging inter-agency effort ito – hindi lang PDEA, but nandiyan of course ang DSWD, ang Department of Health, pati ang Kapulisan and the Local Government Units. So iyon po iyong magiging katugunan natin diyan, ma’am.
ROSE NOVERNARIO/HATAW: Pagkatapos po nila maka-graduate doon sa community-based drug rehab, bibigyan ba sila ng clearance or ng certificate ng PNP na sila’y wala na sa watchlist at hindi na sila tutugisin ng mga pulis?
P/CSUPT. CARLOS: Ah, iyon pong effort or tulong po ng Philippine National Police is through the Police Community Relations Group. Kagaya po ng sinabi ni Director Carreon, Region III po iyong pinakamarami under Police Chief Superintendent Aaron Aquino, iyang nasa Region III, marami po tayong Bahay Pagbabago. Ang ginagawa po ng Philippine National Police is provide them with the manpower and the space. Iyong amin pong mga kampo, ino-open po namin sa social workers, DOH personnel para doon po maaring maitatag o magawa iyong Bahay Pagbabago.
At ang atin pong ginagawa kapag—mayroon po silang certificate na kapag naka-graduate. Again, hindi po kami iyong talagang namamahala; ang namamahala po ay ang DSWD or with the Local Social Welfare and the DOH, but we assist them po.
Mayroon pong proyekto ang Philippine National Police, na iyong ‘Life After Tokhang’ under po ng Directorate for Police Community Relations. Ito po ay para mabigyan ng tulong din po iyong mga nag-surrender at makapagbago, mabigyan din po ng skills, at kung… mabigyan din po silang trabaho.
ROSE NOVERNARIO/HATAW: So may assurance po iyong mga dating drug dependents na ‘pag natapos sila sa rehab, mabubura iyong pangalan nila sa watchlist? Kasi iyong iba pong mga nag-surrender eh nasa watchlist po sila ng PNP.
PCSUPT. CARLOS: Tama po iyon. Again, iyong pong assessment sa kanila after they graduate, tuluy-tuloy din po iyon eh para makita kung talagang hindi na ho sila babalik sa paggamit ng iligal na droga.
ROSE NOVERNARIO/HATAW: Okay, thank you.
ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: Just a clarification on definition. When we say affected, what do we mean?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Sir, drug affectation is categorized in three different levels: slightly affected, moderately affected and seriously affected. When you say ‘slightly affected’ – a barangay is considered slightly affected when there is a presence of at least users, one or more in a barangay. Kapag nagkaroon na po ng drug pusher sa isang lokalidad, it is elevated into ‘moderately affected.’ Now when there is a drug den, a shabu tiangge, clandestine laboratory or marijuana plantation or chemical warehouse in a locality, then it is ‘seriously affected.’
ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: Okay, sa DOJ. Mayroon na pong complaints against the policeman involved in the killing of Kian and iyong kasama niyang si Kulot. So hindi pa rin po ito part ng EJK as per the definition of the government?
DOJ USEC. ORCEO: Yes, sir. As of now, pending po iyong resolution ng DOJ diyan. By definition of AO 35, still not categorized as an extra-judicial killing. Because when you read the AO 35 – Executive Order – it classifies EJK as to one who is advocating for a political or civil and political rights. Other than this definition, all extra killings not classified as EJK, but rather as a common crime being handled by the PNP as common criminals.
ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: Sa PDEA or sa PNP. Any update on the number of local executives and barangays who are involved in the illegal drug trade? Kung mayroon kayong bagong figures, kung nadagdagan ba or nabawasan?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Sir, may we refer you to the social cards noong—iyong arrested government workers? Nandoon po iyong sa elected officials.
ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: Hindi, iyong nasa list na bini-vet ninyo ngayon. Ilan po iyong—nadagdagan po ba?
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: Let me get back to you on that ano. Hindi natin hawak iyong… at the moment. Pero we’re basing on actual arrests, ‘yan po.
ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: Okay. Thank you.
CATHERINE VALENTE/MANILA TIMES: Follow up lang po, sir. Any update po doon sa mga drug lords and narco-politician na identified po sa drug list ni President, where are they now? Sinu-sino na po iyong nakasuhan? May naaresto na ba, namatay, at ilan po iyong remain at large? Narco-politicians po…
P/CSUPT. CARLOS: What I can remember is the case of Kerwin, na kinuha pa natin sa Middle East; and then the one in Region VI, naengkuwentro po natin iyon; and then there are high level personalities o HVT that surrendered noong initial na naibigay iyong mga pangalan nila. I’ll get the update coming from the record of DI, opo. But mayroon naman po tayong mga naaresto… Mico Tan was engaged in Valenzuela. Ito iyong mga high profile or value targets na PDEA, the PNP operated on. Kasi ‘pag high value targets, talaga pong kasama po palagi—sumasama po kami sa PDEA.
PDEA SPOKESPERSON CARREON: For the PDEA ma’am, iyong Mayor ng Maasim Sarangani, kasama mismo si Director General Aaron Aquino during that operation. And he surrendered, seeking the help of Senator Pacquiao of course just after the operations.
CATHERINE VALENTE/MANILA TIMES: How about Sir sa DOJ, may mga nakasuhan na po ba or naisampa na kayong kaso?
DOJ USEC. ORCEO: Sa DOJ, what we have is in general terms of numbers of cases filed in court. What we have is 106,266 filed as of December of—between the period, July to December 2016 and as of September, 3rd Quarter of 2017 – those are the cases filed in court and resolved by the DOJ.
Q: (off mic)
DOJ USEC. ORCEO: 106,266 – these are individual cases.
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: Sir, pa-update lang. Iyong sa 6.4. ‘Di ba nag-MR kayo sa Valenzuela?
DOJ USEC. ORCEO: I am not familiar with that case, because there is a different prosecutors who handles—
JOSEPH MORONG/GMA7: Ah, hindi iyon sa inyo. Okay, sige po.
SWEEDEN/PTV: Okay. Thank you very much, MPC. Thank you also, Assistant Secretary Marie Banaang and our guests for today – Atty. Reynante Orceo, DOJ Undersecretary; Police Chief Superintendet Dionardo Carlos, PNP Spox; and then, Director Derrick Carreon, PDEA Spox. We now proceed to our regular press briefing with the Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
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SOURCE: PCOO – NIB (News and Information Bureau)
