Budget has ‘leeway’ in case PNP returns to drug war – Drilon

MANILA, Philippines – If ever President Rodrigo Duterte decides to return the Philippine National Police (PNP) at the front lines of his drug war, the national budget has them covered, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said on Sunday, November 19.

“There’s a lot of leeway in the budget. ‘Yung ganyang mga bagay, ‘yung contingent fund, iyon naman ang ginagamit nila (Things like that we use the contingent budget),” Drilon said in an interview with radio dzBB.

Drilon earlier urged his fellow lawmakers to realign the PNP’s P900-million drug war budget and the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s P500-million Masa Masid funds to housing for policemen.

With contingent funds in place, the PNP can get housing while being secured with cash to support the President’s anti-drug campaign if ever they are ordered back.

“Ngayon na wala na, karapat-dapat lamang na ilagay – hindi natin aalisin, mananatili sa PNP – pero dapat gamitin para sa pabahay ng ating mga kapulisan,” the senator said. (Not that they are no longer involved it is only right to reallocate – not remove – to use the budget for housing of our police force.)

Citing notes from their budget deliberations, Drilon said the PNP needs 10,500 houses but the government has so far apportioned only enough money to build 450 in 2018.

According to Duterte, he will bring back the PNP to the war on drugs if narcotics proliferate in the country’s streets once more. (READ: If crimes rise, I’ll ask Duterte to order PNP back to drug war – Dela Rosa) – Rappler.com