Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa (3rd from left) leads the laying of the time capsule during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Region III Bahay Pag-asa Rehabilitation Center facilities in Camp Olivas, Pampanga on Monday (Sept. 5, 2016). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Monday he will ask President Rodrigo Duterte to certify as priority the bill allowing wiretapping of drug suspects and other proposals that would help the police in its campaign against illegal drugs.
“I will talk to the President and request him to sign these bills, ang tawag nun, priority bills by the President. Sana mapabilis itong mga batas na ito,” Dela Rosa said at a press conference.
The bill is now pending in the Senate and being handled by the public order and illegal drugs committee under Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former PNP chief.
The PNP chief said he got the idea after his visit to Colombia last week.
“Ang exempted lang sa wiretapping law natin na pwedeng i-grant ng court ay yung offenses related to terrorism. Hindi kasama yung drug trafficking at saka yung ibang malalaking heinous crimes. Ngayon gusto nating isama lahat para pag suspected ka na drug trafficker mag-request agad kami ng authority to conduct wiretapping on you,” he said.
Dela Rosa said the authority should be granted at the level of prosecutors to expedite the process, just like what is being implemented in Colombia.
“Yung sa kanilang wiretapping law, equipped yung kanilang kapulisan doon para mag-wiretap sa lahat ng mga suspected criminal group member, drug group member, suspected drug trafficker,” he said.
“Hindi na sa court nila hinihingi dahil very tedious yung process ng court, nakalagay talaga sa batas na dun lang sa prosecution, sa piskal kumbaga sila magrequest,” he added.
He said he is also exploring the possibility of immediate forfeiture of the properties of suspected drug lords.
“Yung kanilang batas sa forfeiture of properties considered to be fruits of the crime. Pag naforefeit yung properties nila, malaking tsansa na hindi na makabalik,” he said.
He said many of the drug lords, even those detained at the New Bilibid Prison, were able to continue with their illegal operations because of the investments they have made.
“Kaya iyang mga drug lord na nakakulong sa Bilibid namamayagpag, sige pa rin sila ng negosyo dahil nakaimbak na sila sa malaking resources, nakapag-invest na sila. Kahit na naputol na sila ngayon, after a while, halimbawa pag nagretire na ako, mapapalitan ako ng chief PNP na hindi ganun nagmamatigas sa drug campaign niya, or magretire si Presidente at papalitan siya ng presidente na ayaw lumaban sa drugs, ang mangyayari diyan, resume na naman ang kanilang negosyo dahil andyan pa rin ang kanilang network, kumpleto pa rin,” he said.
“Kung maforfeit again iyan wala, immobilize sila dahil wala na silang magamit,” he added. (MNS)