Cascolan: There is no place for human rights violations in the PNP war on drugs

MANILA, Philippines – The chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Gen. Camilo Cascolan, said Wednesday that the organization under his supervision will not allow human rights violations in the implementation of the government’s anti-drug campaign.

“First, we follow specific operating procedures. Second, we use our common sense. That is why in all our dealings, in all our activities, whether in law enforcement, administrative or not, we always adhere to SOPs (standard operating procedures), procedures and protocols, ”said Cascolan in an interview with Ambush after the Bida Discipline program at the Camp. Crame, Quezon City, in response to the United Nations request to revoke the war on drugs policies.

“There is no place for the violation of the rule of law or the violation of human rights,” he added.

During the 45th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michele Bachelet, called on the Duterte administration to eliminate policies, including the bloody war on drugs that led to the increase in deaths in the Philippines.

Bachelet said the anti-narcotics campaign resulted in killings and other human rights violations.

Under his watch, Cascolan said the war on drugs will focus on pursuing high-value drug targets. Cascolan, a former PNP deputy chief of administration, was involved in the creation of the Police Double Barrel Project, which included the controversial “Oplan Tokhang.”

Oplan Tokhang was tagged in the murder of several petty drug dealers.

According to actual numbers from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, a total of 5,810 people have been killed in anti-drug operations since President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs began four years ago.

EDV

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