Cop chiefs have three days to show anti-drug triumphs

CEBU, Philippines - Police station chiefs in Central Visayas who either underperformed or have not performed at all in their self-imposed target in the fight against illegal drugs have until Friday to show what they got if they do not want to be relieved from their respective posts.

 Chief Superintendent Noel Taliño, newly-designated Police Regional Office-7 director, made the order after learning that of the 126 police stations in the region, 70 failed to meet their target.

Most are in Cebu with 35 of the 50 police stations. It is followed by Bohol with 28 of its 48 police stations.

Taliño, who formerly headed the police's Special Action Force, said he was "disappointed' with the non-performance of the police officials especially since the target was set last February yet.

"I was disappointed…akala ko nagstart sila ng July 1 but their campaign on illegal drugs nung

"Kung wala silang nagagawa hanggang Friday ire-relieve," he added.

Last February, station chiefs were asked to submit 10 names of drug personalities in their respective areas of responsibility but some stations have not scored even a single arrest.  

"Yung ibang chief of police sila ang pinag-submit, pero hanggang ngayong walang nahuli, zero…. Difinitely maapektohan ang CDs (city directors) and PDs provincial directors). Ang provincial at city directors ang mananagot sa atin kung hindi sila (station chiefs) mag-peperform," Taliño said.

Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas, PRO-7 deputy director for operations, said Lapu-Lapu City Police Office has two underperforming police stations; Cebu Province Police Office, 35 out of 50; Bohol PPO, 28 out of 48; Siquijor, two out of six; Ceb City PO, two out of 11 from Cebu City Police Office and one out of six from Mandaue City Police Office.

 "Seventy of these police stations are not performing well.  They have performed 10 percent or zero at all. What makes it aggravating, sila maoy naghatag sa target, for four months period way nadakop, way na-neutralize, way napa-surrender," said Lawas.

For the underperforming police stations, 31 are in Cebu Province, 20 are in Bohol PPO and one police station is in Lapu-Lapu City Police Office that did not accomplish' the task.

Lawas said that the police station chiefs were given six months to perform and after four months they were expected to accomplish at least half of their 10-person list but some of them have not accomplished anything at all.

 Lawas, who will head the evaluation committee, said should the underperforming or non-performing police stations fail to meet their self-imposed target, the chiefs of police would be asked to satisfactorily explain why.

Taliño said removing a chief of police would solve the problem but if he again underperforms he would be meted with a harsher punishment. (FREEMAN)