Dela Rosa urges President-elect Marcos to continue President Duterte's war on drugs

SENATOR Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa has suggested to President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to continue the war on drugs carried out by the outgoing Duterte administration.

"Talagang irerekomenda ko sa kanya (President-elect Marcos Jr.) na ipagpatuloy niya para hindi masayang 'yung six years na ginawa natin, ni Pangulong Duterte. Tuloy-tuloy na 'yan dapat," Dela Rosa said in a radio interview over the weekend.

While Dela Rosa said the incoming Marcos Jr. administration should continue its predecessor's war on drugs, the senator believes adjustments are necessary to prevent and avoid the issues raised by critics on the implementation of the program, whether deliberate or otherwise.

"Well, nakita naman natin na epektibo 'yung ginawa ni Pangulong Duterte pero hindi rin natin maipagkakaila na mayroon ding mga pang-aabuso na nangyayari. Mayroon talagang nangyayaring hindi maganda kaya gano'n pa rin dapat ang approach pero may mga minor modification para maiwasan natin 'yung violation ng human rights at tsaka 'yung mga involvement ng mga law enforcer sa kalokohan," Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa even praised the strategy of President Duterte as an effective and successful program against illegal drugs.

"'Yun nga ang napakagandang programa na ginawa natin na nabigla 'yung taumbayan na puwede palang pakiusapan 'yung mga taong mag-house-to-house. ('Yung) door-to-door na pakikiusap na 'mag-surrender na kayo lahat na involved sa iligal na droga' ay pwede palang gawin 'yun. So, maganda sanang ipagpatuloy 'yun," he said referring to the "tokhang" strategy.

Dela Rosa said the next PNP chief and the President should share a common deep understanding of the illegal drug problem and agree and unite on how to combat and eradicate the drug menace.

"First and foremost... 'yung Chief Executive ay dapat pareho sila ng pag-iisip ng kanyang i-a-appoint na Chief-PNP. Otherwise, kung magkaiba 'yung kanilang pananaw sa problema sa droga at 'yung approach kung paano i-counter itong problema ng droga, ay, they are bound to fail."

Dela Rosa was the chief implementer of the anti-illegal drug campaign of the present administration during his stint as President Duterte's head of the Philippine National Police.