POLICE Regional Office XI director affirmed on Tuesday that they would adhere to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to pursue a “bloodless” drug war.
In an interview with reporters, Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III said, “The President’s direction is very clear and requires no further clarification. We will follow that; it’s always been our goal to have a bloodless approach.”
However, he emphasized that the police will exercise self-defense when necessary, citing Article 11 of the Revised Penal Code which outlines justifying circumstances, including the legality of self-defense.
“We will not allow our policemen to be shot or stabbed without defending themselves,” Torre clarified. “Just because the President said ‘bloodless’ doesn’t mean the police can’t act in self-defense when facing threats.”
Torre’s statement highlights the delicate balance between upholding the president’s directive for a less violent approach to the drug war and ensuring the safety of law enforcement officers during operations.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his commitment to continue the administration’s “bloodless” war on drugs, emphasizing that “extermination” was never part of the strategy.
During his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, the President declared, “The bloodless war against illegal drugs will continue to be effective. Extermination was never one of them.”
Prior to the president’s SONA on Monday, a video was released showing allegedly the President taking what appeared to be a powdery substance.
This prompted Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. to order a thorough investigation to identify and hold responsible those behind the circulation of what he described as a fake video.
Marcos highlighted a significant reduction in drug-affected barangays across the country, citing a 32 percent decrease.
He stressed the importance of building trust between law enforcement and the community, stating, “Our law enforcers need the trust of the people. While we’ve seen a decrease in crime rate and improvement in crime solutions, these are not enough. Our efforts must continue.”
