Probe set on quota, reward system in Duterte’s drug war campaign

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil has ordered a thorough investigation of the supposed quota and reward systems during the police force’s campaign against illegal drugs under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We take these allegations with utmost gravity,” Marbil said in a statement yesterday, referring to the recent allegations of police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, a poster boy of the previous administration’s war on drugs.

During a House hearing last week, Espenido bared the implementation of the quota and reward system under “Oplan Double Barrel,” the PNP’s campaign plan against illegal drugs, during the Duterte administration.

Espenido claimed a quota of 50 to 100 drug kills per day was imposed by the PNP leadership in the war against illegal drugs and that police units were given monetary rewards if they accomplished their job.

Marbil said a review panel, led by the office of the PNP deputy chief for operations, has been tasked to “thoroughly assess and evaluate Oplan Double Barrel, including Lt. Col. Espenido’s disclosures.”

“Our objective is to address any concerns, ensuring that the PNP’s anti-drug operations are conducted in a manner that upholds the rule of law and respects human dignity,” said Marbil, adding: “We are committed to a drug-free Philippines, but it must be achieved through methods that are just and humane.”

The PNP Public Information Office, in a statement, said the review panel’s mandate includes “a detailed scrutiny and examination of all facets of the anti-drug campaign, particularly those related to human rights, operational protocols, and accountability mechanisms that were previously in place.”

It said the PNP chief has stressed the importance of this review to ensure that “past operations adhered to legal standards and ethical guidelines.”

It said the result of the review “will be crucial in shaping the PNP’s future strategies in the fight against illegal drugs, with a focus on transparency, accountability, and the protection of human rights.”

HOUSE PROBE

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