Press Release
April 12, 2016

POE: KILLING CRIMINALS DOES NOT GUARANTEE PEACE AND ORDER

SURIGAO DEL NORTE--Peace cannot be achieved through violent means, independent presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe said as she reiterated her call for a just society that respects due process and the rule of law.

Speaking at a campaign sortie in Surigao del Norte, Poe said the government has to be tough in addressing crime and illegal drugs, but it also has to be just and responsible.

"Hindi lang po patayan ang solusyon palagi. Hindi tayo magtitiis nang matagal. Ang kailangan lang ay organisado. Ang kailangan lang ay makatarungan, sapagkat kung nagkamali tayo sa ating desisyon at may naapektuhang isang inosente, hindi na po matatapos ang gulo," the independent presidential candidate said.

"Ang kailangan po natin ay katarungan at hindi karahasan sapagkat hindi po puwedeng maggagantihan tayong lahat dahil sa pambibintang," Poe said.

The senator said it takes both incorruptible leadership and people participation to make communities safe and drug-free.

"If there are any members of our police who will abuse their powers, I will make sure that they do not remain in their post for another day," Poe said.

Poe, who said she will declare illegal drugs as a national security threat if she wins, plans to tap the president's intelligence fund to intensify crime-busting efforts by giving incentives to informants and rewarding crime-free barangays.

"I will make sure that if your barangay remains drug-free and crime-free, meron po kayong reward sa gitna ng taon at sa dulo ng taon. At sa mga kababayan naman natin na magsusumbong kung sino ang mga nagtutulak ng droga, sa intelligence fund din, hindi ako magdadalawang-isip na magbigay ng ilang milyon para lamang makulong lahat ng 'yan," she said.

Under her "Gobyernong may Puso," Poe said she will prioritize addressing poverty, which she believes is the root of crime. If people have decent jobs and food on the table, crime rates will subsequently go down, she said.

In her first trip to Mindanao this week, Poe reiterated her commitment to allocate one-third or P1 trillion from the national budget to the region, where 13 out of the 20 poorest provinces can be found.

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