WAR ON DRUGS | National Police places cap on number of drug war cases to be shared to justice department

June 1, 2021 , 09:32 PM

(June 1, 2021) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) will not share with the justice department all the drug-related cases which resulted in more than 7,000 killings from the time the Duterte administration came to power in 2016, the national police chief said on Tuesday.

General Guillermo Eleazar said the national police will only allow the justice department to review at least 53 cases because these have been resolved after finding probable cause for prosecuting in courts.

Eight other cases, which the national police promised to share with the justice agency, were placed on hold because there are still appeals filed by erring police officers.

Eleazar said the authentication process has been ongoing before case files are sent to the Department of Justice (DOJ), which promised the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to review the killings related to the government’s drug war policy.

“Sa atin kasi, as long as wala namang nagpo-prohibit na batas, ano naman ang itatago namin doon,” Eleazar told journalists in a press briefing.

“Well, the DOJ, siya po yung alter-ego ng ating presidente at siya ang nagsabi na the DOJ will be the one to review these cases. That’s why the PNP, being part of the executive and with the guidance of the DILG, andiyan yung way para tumulong sa DOJ on the review of the cases na kanyang isinasagawa sa ngayon.”

Eleazar has changed his tune after the president said the police cannot share all the cases, citing “national security” concerns as a reason to withhold information.

More than 7,000 people have been killed in the brutal and bloody war on drugs, the centerpiece policy of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The police anti-illegal drug operations continued even during the lockdown imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Duterte has warned human rights groups “to be more careful” in reviewing the deaths resulting from the police anti-drug operations and the military’s anti-insurgency campaign. He also claimed he had no access to records given the confidential nature, which is unusual as he is at the top of the chain of command as commander-in-chief.

“I do not even know kung sino ‘yang mga ‘yan,” Duterte said. “I do not ask [for] it and I do not bother to really go out of my way knowing because kasali ako sa mga tao na hindi alam. What I get is the result of the operations.”

“I know that it’s just confidential. And kung hindi ipresenta sa akin, I do not ask for it. But kung mayroon silang kagaya ng mga NPA tapos malalaking personalities, they only tell me who they are, but as to where they are and how they should be arrested, it’s none of my business really as president,” Duterte added.

Eleazar said the DOJ can also ask them if they wanted access to additional cases outside the ones they have chosen to share as long as it does not violate the data privacy law.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the justice department will “play it by ear” as the president did not intend to remove access to drug war case files.

He said they would only be careful, as Duterte had advised.

The Supreme Court had ruled in 2018 the case files on the drug war did not involve matters affecting national security, contrary to what the Office of the Solicitor General had previously alleged.

“These are more of a criminal nature than a national security concern,” Guevarra said. “So, I suppose the President really meant that in the general cooperation between PNP and DOJ, concerns about national security should be properly addressed. In other words, kailangan maging maingat din.”

(Beatrice Puente/MM with reports from JC Cosico, News5)

Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitment

TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.

We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.

Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?

We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:

To deliver news and updates on current events, sports, esports and entertainment;
To share livestreams of news and sports events;
To understand our viewers’ needs and preferences;
To meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
To perform other processes or disclosures that are required to comply with pertinent laws, rules, or regulations.

Where do we get your personal information?

There are several ways we collect your personal information.

Information that you personally provided.

Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
- Register to our programs or services;
- Inquired, filed a complaint or requested for our services;
- Took part in our research and surveys; and/or
- Became our Partner, Vendor, Contractor or Supplier.

Information we collect during your engagement with us

We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
- Viewing our websites;
- Activities that are being tracked by our website cookies;
- Calling our hotline;
- Using our apps, websites, and self-service channels and portals; and/or
- Joining our promos, prize raffles, or rewards and loyalty programs.

Information we collect from other sources

Other means of collection of information may be through:
- Our market research initiatives;
- When you visit and use our websites and mobile application; and
- Subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners to whom you have given consent to share your information to us.

When do we disclose personal information?

There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.

In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.

How we protect your personal information

The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.

We also put in effect the following safeguards:

We keep and protect your information using a secured server behind a firewall, encryption and security controls;
We keep your information only for as long as it is necessary for us to (a) provide the products and services that you avail from us, (b) for our legitimate business purposes, (c) to comply with pertinent laws, and (d) for special cases that will require the exercise or defense of legal claims;
We limit the access to your information only to qualified and authorized personnel who are trained to handle your information with strict confidentiality;
We undergo regular audits and rigorous testing of our infrastructure’s security protocols to ensure your data is always protected;
We promptly notify you and the National Privacy Commission when sensitive personal information that may, under the circumstances, be used to enable identity fraud are reasonably believed to have been acquired by an unauthorized person; and
We let you update your information securely to keep our records accurate.

TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.

What are your choices?

We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.

If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.

Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph

What happens when there are changes in our Policy?

From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.

You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.