Will New Police Chief End Philippines War On Drugs?


(MENAFN- Asia Times) The President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., named Major General Rommel Francisco Marbil as the country's new Police chief last week. Marbil replaces General Benjamin Acorda Jr., who retired at the start of April, only three months after his term had been extended by the president. The appointment has raised hopes of an end to the country's lethal war on drugs .

Speaking at his first press conference on Tuesday, Marbil promised a new approach , stating that“there is no need for a drug war” because it is part of everyday law enforcement, and that police should“always follow the rule of law” when dealing with drug users and dealers. But the new chief was clear that he wanted a“100% drugless community.”

The drug war was a key policy of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Between 2016 and 2022, Duterte oversaw deadly anti-drug operations and vigilante violence that killed thousands of Filipinos, with human rights groups claiming the figure is upwards of
30,000 people . The former president was unapologetic, using media appearances to call for the“slaughter” of drug addicts and offering to
pay the legal fees
of police officers accused of extrajudicial killings.

Marbil's words are welcome, particularly for the families of those killed. The problem is that we have heard similar rhetoric before.

Marcos Jr promised a new, less deadly approach to the drug war when he was elected in 2022. Instead of lethal anti-drug operations, authorities would focus on prevention and rehabilitation. This“different way” was a world apart from his predecessor's way and aimed at minimizing preventable deaths.

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Asia Times

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