New PNP chief Marbil: No need to declare 'drug war'

There is no need to declare an all-out drug war in the country, said the new Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil on Tuesday.

“Wala po kaming giyera dito e... It's more of talaga kung paano natin ibaba yung crimes natin based doon sa mga parameters natin,” Marbil said in a press briefing.

(We don't have a war here. It's really more about how we can lower our crimes based on our parameters.)

“I don't want to say na may drug war. It connotes parang giyera na naman kami. Ito lang talaga yung requirement. Ito dapat yung ma-solve mo. We go for 100% drug-less community,” he added.

(I don't want to say that there is a drug war. It connotes that we are at war again. This is really the only requirement. This is what you should be able to solve. We go for a 100% drug-less community.)

Marbil pointed out that eradicating illegal drugs is already part of their job.  

“Hindi lang po ako ang Chief PNP na nagsabi niyan. Lahat po kami iyan po ang trabaho namin. There is no need for us to declare a drug war,” he added.

(I'm not the only PNP Chief who said that. All of us, that's our job. There is no need for us to declare a drug war.)

Asked about Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s declaration of a war against illegal drugs in his area just last week, Marbil said:

“Again, during my speech, I need accountability and transparency on the part of the policemen. 'Yun na po yung speech ko, accountability and transparency sa bawat police operation po namin,” Marbil said.

(Again, during my speech, I said I need accountability and transparency on the part of the policemen. That's in my speech, accountability and transparency in our every police operation.)

Marbil also said that police officers are no longer racing with each other to have the highest number of arrested drug suspects.

“Ano ang pinakamaraming drugs sa bawat regions so ito yung expectations niyo. Kung mas maraming drugs sa'yo then we expect from you na ganito karami ang huhulihin mo. Hindi na kagaya ng paramihan ng huli,” Marbil said.

(Which areas have the highest number of drug cases? Then we set expectations. If you have more drugs, then we expect from you that you will catch this much. It is no longer about having the most number of arrests.)

On Tuesday, Marbil presided over his first command conference as PNP chief. —VAL, GMA Integrated News