Number of cases under PNP-IAS spiked due to drug slays –chief

The Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the Philippine National Police has seen a spike in the number of cases it is handling due to the killings being linked to the Duterte administration's violent war against drugs.

At a Senate hearing on Thursday, lawyer Maria Lynnberg Constantinopla, chief of IAS Intelligence and Investigation Office, said a large chunk of the close to 1,500 "motu propio" cases it is handling was recorded from July to September.

"If you are going to start from January to October, with respect to motu propio cases we are handling, that is 1,411. But from July to September, the motu propio cases are 1,298," Constantinopla said, answering questions from Senator Richard Gordon.

Gordon chairs the Senate justice committee that is investigating the daily killings of drug pushers.

Asked by Gordon if she would admit to a "spike" in the number of cases they are handling, Constantinopla said, "Yes, there is na increased number of motu propio investigation."

"Dropped" cases

Constantinopla said of the total number of cases, 300 were "dropped and closed" because "these were legitimate operations."

"The 300 cases are legitimate operations and they complied with police procedures," she said.

She also said the IAS has found probable cause and recommended summary dismissal proceeding for 28 cases.

"We have forwarded 28 cases for summary hearing where we found probable cause. They’ve violated police procedures, operational procedures," she said.

Constantinopla said they intend to file case within 90 days from the start of the investigation. She also admitted that they have yet to file any case before the courts as their investigations and proceedings are still ongoing.

"We intend to file murder cases but as of the moment we haven’t filed any single murder case," she said.

"Armed" suspects

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Isidro Lapeña, when asked by Senator Panfilo Lacson on why is there a sudden spike in the number of deaths in anti-illegal drug operations, said the slain suspects fought it out with the arresting police officers.

"While we have intensified these operation, 50 percent of those were killed were killed because they have firearms," he said, adding the number of those killed in the past years were practically the same as this year.

He, however, did not provide numbers.

Lapeña agreed when Lacson said the killings were highlighted because of President Rodrigo Duterte's rhetoric that seem to encourage the killing of drug suspects.

The PDEA chief said there is also more operations conducted now.

National Capital Region Police Office head Chief Supt Oscar Albayalde, for his part, said there is no pressure on them to kill more drug suspects. —KBK, GMA News