DILG to continue intensive drug war under Marcos admin — Abalos

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on Monday said the drug war under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. would be as intensive as the efforts of the previous administration.

“The war against drugs will be as intensive as before on the basis of my oath as a public official in accordance with the Constitution,” Abalos said during a press conference.

In Chino Gaston's report on "24 Oras", Commission on Human Rights spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said the CHR would continue to ensure that due process would be followed in going after drug personalities.

“We want to make sure that drug suspects, drug peddlers, drug users are put behind bars and made to account for their transgressions and they are made to answer before the law as long as the right to due process is observed,” De Guia said.

Asked about the possible participation of the DILG on the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the drug war killings under the Duterte administration, he said the matter has not yet been discussed.

Abalos also lamented that many cases involving illegal drugs have been dismissed due to technicalities such as the absence of a witness during the inventory of operations.

Under the Section 21 of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,  an elected public official and a representative of the National Prosecution Service or the media shall be required to sign the copies of the inventory.

In line with this, Abalos encouraged local government units to assign one personnel from the National Prosecution Service for this purpose.

Abalos also suggested involving the youth, parents, schools, churches, and communities in a “people power” against illegal drugs.

“Kasama mo ang mga bata, eskwelahan, simbahan, magulang, community (We are with the children, schools, churches, parents. communities) so it is people power against drugs and other social ills,” he said.

Meanwhile, Abalos said the DILG would also focus on building more jail  facilities to ease the congestion of prisons. —with Sundy Locus/RSJ, GMA News