Wazzup Pilipinas!
Ma'Rosa, originally titled "Palit-Ulo" (a term referring to the backdoor exchange usually involving corrupt policemen and captured criminals), actually depicts a reality that is happening in the Philippines. We all know that story in this Indie film by Director Brillante Mendoza is really occurring especially in depressed areas.
“They (communities) told us of the ‘palit-ulo’ scheme which means ‘exchange heads’ where the wife, husband or relative in a so-called drug list will be taken if the person himself could not be found.” - VP Leni Robredo
Vice President Leni Robredo recently revealed that government forces use 'palit-ulo' scheme in drug war. She explained it as "substituting a relative if a drug personality fails to appear." She said that when police are not pursuing suspected drug users and pushers, they are allegedly rounding up innocent relatives of individuals on their drug lists. Relatives are snatched if the drug suspect is nowhere to be found! She seeks help from the international community against these "warrantless arrests."
However, Malacañang hit back at the Vice President for misunderstanding the police’s 'palit-ulo' scheme amid the war on drugs. Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Robredo’s statements are unfounded. They said that the 'palit-ulo' is to seek assistance from the drug personalities to squeal on a bigger fish in exchange of getting lighter charges. Malacanang said Robredo was misinformed. The Philippine National Police (PNP) urged Robredo to cite specific cases on the so-called “palit-ulo” scheme in the government’s war on drugs. They requested that she should have reported it first to them so they could conduct an investigation. But many are also demanding for her to recant the erroneous information.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
