As former top police officials were named co-perpetrators in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case on the Duterte-era drug war, the Philippine National Police (PNP) highlighted its current campaign against illegal drugs, stressing both human rights and adherence to the rule of law.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. underscored discipline and professionalism as guiding principles.
“The Philippine National Police remains focused on sustaining and even surpassing the country’s achievements in the drug campaign—both in the aspects of confiscation of illegal drugs and arrest of illegal drug personalities, particularly on the supply side,” he said.
He added that operations strictly follow police procedures anchored on integrity.
“We are also making sure that all our operations strictly follow the police operational procedures that are anchored on integrity and the rule of law as part of our continuous efforts to win the trust and respect of the Filipino people,” Nartatez noted.
The ICC case names former PNP chiefs Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Oscar Albayalde, ex-officer-in-charge Vicente Danao, Senator Bong Go, former NBI director Danter Gierran, and ex-PDEA chief Isidro Lapeña among those linked to the campaign, which allegedly claimed over 6,000 lives in police operations and thousands more through vigilante killings.
Experts note that the PNP lost public trust during the Duterte administration due to allegations of abuse, extrajudicial killings, and recycling of seized drugs.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through his first PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin, shifted policy toward less violent operations and rehabilitation programs, sparking clashes with dela Rosa.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla highlighted the difference in approach, noting that the Marcos administration seized ₱99.5 billion worth of illegal drugs in three years—nearly matching Duterte’s six-year total—without resorting to bloody tactics.
PNP data showed ₱25.3 billion worth of drugs were confiscated in 2025 alone, with over 67,000 arrests.
Nartatez emphasized that current operations target high-value syndicates.
“The series of successful operations in the past few years is proof that we are making significant gains in running after high-value targets and in disrupting the supply network of illegal drugs syndicates,” he said.