MANILA—Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Saturday said he would like Senator-elect Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to succeed him as committee chairman on public order so that dela Rosa can see the campaign against illegal drugs from the victims’ point of view.

Lacson said he offered the position to Dela Rosa, who spearheaded Duterte’s anti-narcotics campaign as national police chief, to widen his perspective on the matter.

“Ang purpose ko naman kasi, dati kong tao si General Dela Rosa. Parang gusto ko naman na medyo lumawak ang kaniyang perspective, ika nga, na hindi lang lagi nakikita niya ’yung panig ng law enforcement,” the senator told radio DWIZ.

“So gusto mag-succeed siya dahil alam ko na may kakayanan siya at maganda naman ’yung kaniyang intention.”

Lacson said he would like Dela Rosa to look into the case of those who might have been innocent and subjected to abuse under the illegal-drugs war, citing the case of Kian delos Santos.

Police involved in the operation said Delos Santos was shot for resisting arrest, but surveillance footage showed the teenager being dragged into a dark alley.

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“ ’Pag ikaw ’yung nag-preside ng isang pagdinig, halimbawa, mararamdaman mo na hindi lang pala ’yung panig ng law enforcement ang dapat nating tinitingnan dito,” Lacson said.

“Tingnan din natin ’yung posibleng napagkamalan, na-subject sa abuse rin. Nangyari na ito di ba, ’yung kay Kian delos Santos? Para lang medyo lumawak ’yung kaniyang perspective.”

Some 5,000 drug suspects have been slain in police anti-drug operations since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016 but human rights defenders say the figure is understated.

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