The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it does not see minors caught up in the government’s bloody war against drugs as “collateral damage,” stressing that it is willing to hold accountable police operatives who accidentally kill innocent civilians in anti-drug operations.

“We’re not saying, ‘I’m sorry, this is a collateral damage…’ In the PNP, we investigate these cases, for example the case of two minors killed in police operations. Kung nagkamali sila, sasagot sila sa kaso (If they have committed a wrongdoing, they have to be held accountable),” PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday.

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This was contrary to the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte who recently referred to civilians, particularly minors, caught in the crossfire as collateral damage in the administration’s drug war.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Duterte defended operatives fighting it out with armed drug suspects. He said: “When they meet, they exchange fire. With the policeman and the M16, it’s one burst, hits 1,000 people there and they die. It could not be negligence because you have to save your life. It could not be recklessness because you have to defend yourself.”

But the police official explained that the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service automatically launch investigations on deaths in police operations.

“Ngayon ang tanong, kung sa pagkakamatay nung minor ay may (The question is if in the death of a minor there was an) intention to kill, the criminal case of murder may be filed against the police operatives. Kung wala, magkakakaso sila ng homicide (If none, they will be charged with homicide). Kung walang iregularidad (If there is no irregularity), civil suit can be taken,” he said.

“Sasagot din siya sa IAS (They will have to answer to IAS), we will file admin case against them at kung mas may mabigat na dahilan at kung tatayo sa korte, fifile-an natin ng criminal case sa korte (and if there is a graver offense and they have to face the court, we would file a criminal case in court),” Carlos added.

In August, two minors—four-year-old Althea Fhem Barbon and five-year-old Danica Mae Garcia—were killed.

Police shot Barbon and her father Aldrick, 31, a drug suspect, in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental on August 30.

Meanwhile, Garcia, was hit by a bullet intended for her grandfather Maximo Garcia, 53. Three days before the shooting, Maximo surrendered to the police after his name was included on the drug watch list. Police said drug dealers might be behind the attack./rga

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