Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino said it is impossible to stop drug-related killings because of the suspects’ alleged intent to fight it out.
Aquino made the remarks in light of plans by Vice President Leni Robredo, who is now co-chair of Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD, to stop drug-related killings.
Aquino asked Robredo to join anti-illegal drugs operations so that she can have a grasp of what happens between law enforcers and drug suspects during operations.
“There will always be casualties if the intention of these drug offenders is to fight back and you will really see that, that is why I offered her to join us,” Aquino told reporters.
“Saying that there should be no deaths during operations, that is impossible. We are already having a hard time preventing collateral damage especially if the drug offender is using his own house as a drug den where his family is present,” Aquino added.
The vice president took on the offer to be an ICAD co-chairman last week. Robredo also said there is a need to suspend the infamous war on drugs.
“I think it is incumbent upon us to change that thinking. It is probably time that we think about shifting to something that is effective and that no one is killed senselessly,” Robredo said.
The PDEA chief however believes that there is nothing wrong with Oplan Tokhang.
“Why should we remove ‘Tokhang’? There are just some who are saying that Tokhang immediately means death and that is a no,” Aquino added.
