President Rodrigo Duterte will review drug cases dismissed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said in an ambush interview in Camp Crame on Monday.

“Yesterday during the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduation the president and I have talked about that and he told me that he is going to review ( the cases). He is going to use his power to review resolutions coming out from the DOJ, especially the resolutions that dismissed the drug cases,” he said.

“Especially now that we have monitored that the case on the Virac, Catanduanes shabu laboratory will also be dismissed... the president told me that he is going to use his power to review over resolutions from the DOJ especially those dismissal resolutions pertaining to drug cases. That was the last thing that he told me,” he added.

Dela Rosa said the president will review other cases from the DOJ. "Most especially the drug cases but all others. If he has doubts, he will still do the review,” he said.

Dela Rosa also reiterated his dismay on the dismissal of drug cases against Kerwin Espinosa and other drug personalities.

“Correct me if I am wrong, I am not a lawyer but we also hope that they should not act as the court to decide. They should pass it to the court and let the court decide if the case will be dismissed,” he said.

Dela Rosa admitted the dismissal of the case against the drug personalities serves as a wake up call for the Philippine National Police.

“I am not finger pointing at the DOJ. On our part, we also have shortcomings. I admit that we have shortcomings if they said that the case that we filed is weak... So it is a wake-up call for us to work more,” he said.

It can be recalled that the case against drug personalities were dismissed by the Department of Justice due to lack of evidence last week. But Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II formed a new panel of prosecutors to review the case. Robina Asido/DMS