PNP chief on Rody's hardline approach vs crime: Never again

Having seen the carnage and human rights abuses in former president Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen.

- By EMMANUEL TUPAS

Nicolas Torre III said the country should never again experience the previous administration's hardline approach to criminality.In an interview with The STAR's online show "Truth on the Line" on Wednesday night, Torre said it is easy for Duterte supporters to criticize President Marcos' human-rights based approach on criminality as they have not experienced being a victim of the former president's brutal crackdown against illegal drugs and other crimes.

"That's only good to those cheering for him for those reasons. It's only good if you're not the ones hit," he said.

In 2019, three-year-old Myca Ulpina was shot dead by anti-narcotics police officers who were pursuing her father in a drug sting in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Former PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa, who was then a neophyte senator, remarked that there are instances where “s**t happens” in police operations. He later walked back his statement and clarified that what he meant was the girl’s death was an unfortunate incident.

If people want the government to apply Duterte’s policy, Torre said they should first volunteer themselves and their families to be victims of a reckless anti-criminality drive.