MANILA, Philippines – When Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa told high-end bar and club owners to “cooperate or else,” he definitely meant it.

Dela Rosa is set to meet with owners and managers of clubs and bars in Makati City and Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City on Wednesday, August 24, “to give directives and policies of the PNP on illegal drug issues concerning bars and clubs.”

“None adherence to these policies may be grounds in recommending for the revocation of their business permits,” according to a media advisory from Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario, district director of the Souther Police District (SPD). Both Makati and Taguig are under the SPD.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), which leads all government efforts against illegal drugs, and local government officials have also been invited to the meeting, according to Apolinario.

Dela Rosa had earlier announced plans to meet with club and bar owners, because “a lot of people take party drugs there.”

The police general is among the key officials in President Rodrigo Duterte’s ongoing “war on drugs.”

Police have arrested more than 7,000 drug personalities and killed more than 600 drug suspects in operations around the country. Almost 600,000 drug users and pushers have also surrendered to authorities as a result of a “knock and plead” campaign by cops.

It’s a nationwide campaign that’s been criticized for its rising death toll and for supposedly being biased against the poor. Dela Rosa and the PNP have denied these claims.

The Senate on Monday, August 22, will start a legislative probe into the rise of drug-related deaths and allegations that summary executions have been happening in the course of police operations. – Rappler.com