THE Philippine National Police (PNP) will seek first the Office of the Solicitor General's (OSG) legal guidance on the Supreme Court's order for them to submit documents in relation to government's drug war.
"The PNP respects the resolution of the Supreme Court but will take the legal recommendation of the solicitor general on the matter," said PNP spokesperson John Bulalacao on Wednesday, April 4.
"We assure the public that our campaign against illegal drugs is constitutional, legal and is implemented in the interest of public safety," he added.
In 2017, two groups filed a petition before the Supreme Court where they questioned the constitutionality of the government's war on drugs amid the increase of drug personalities killed during its implementation.
In December, the Supreme Court asked the PNP to submit several documents in relation to its anti-illegal drugs operations.
Among the documents required are the following:
* List of persons killed in legitimate police operations from July 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017
* List of deaths under investigation from July 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017
* List of Chinese and Filipino-Chinese drug lords who have been neutralized
* List of drugs involved whether in shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), cocaine, marijuana, opioids and other illegal substance
* Comparative tables on index crimes
* Statistics of internal cleansing within the police force
* Drug watchlist in affected areas
* Reports and documents regarding alleged drug war victims Aileen Almora, Rowena Aparri, and Jefferson Soriano
* Pre- and post-operation reports in all the incidents cited in the petition filed by Sister Ma. Juanita Daño's group
* Number of buy-bust incidents in San Andres Bukid, Manila, from July 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017
* List of warrants and warrantless arrests in high-value target police operations
* List of cases under investigation under the PNP's Internal Affairs Service
The PNP legal counsel on the matter, Solicitor General Jose Calida, filed a motion for reconsideration on the Supreme Court's order, saying submission of drug war reports will compromise the government’s war on drugs, as well as the security of the PNP personnel involved in the operations.
"By requiring the respondents to submit the aforementioned information and documents, the Court has ventured into unwarranted factual inquiries," he said in the motion.
"Besides, the Court is not a tier of facts. In resolving constitutional issues, it is not allowed to receive and weigh evidence, which it will necessarily perform upon receiving the information and documents required of the respondents. Tersely put, the petitions raise a facial challenge to the issuances that will not demand the production and evaluation of evidence," it added.
On April 3, Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te announced the denial of the motion and that the PNP should submit the documents the court was asking for within 15 days from notice.
Bulalacao said they are yet receive the copy of the order. (VoxPop Philippines)
