70 cop chiefs told: Explain ‘failure’ in anti-drug fight

CEBU, Philippines - At least 70 police officers will be asked to explain today why they lagged behind in going after the top 10 drug personalities in their respective areas of jurisdiction, which they promised five months ago.

Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño, Police Regional Office- 7 director, earlier said station chiefs who fail to fulfill what they pledged to do should have a good explanation for the failure.

If their answer is not satisfactory, Taliño said, they would be relieved from their posts immediately.

Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas, PRO-7 deputy regional director for operations, said that of the 126 police station chiefs in Central Visayas, 70 are performing low in the campaign.

Last February, the police chiefs were directed to identify at least 10 drug personalities under their respective jurisdiction and to conduct operations against the said persons within six months.

Lawas said that of the 70, two each were in Lapu-Lapu City, Siquijor, and Cebu City; eight in Bohol; and 35 in Cebu province.

He said that to be considered to have performed accordingly, each police station should have gone after at least half of their targets.

Sought for a comment Cebu Police Provincial Office Director Clifford Gairanod said that after he heard of the report he called the attention of his police chiefs and reviewed their accomplishments.

He said that he found the figures presented to him confusing but he promised to reconcile them with their records.

Lawas said data gathered in the region is based on the report that was given to them and if the station chiefs did not furnish the regional office of their accomplishment reports then it would not be reflected in their records.

Lawas, who will lead the committee Taliño tasked to evaluate the police station chiefs' performance, said he hoped they would be able to give satisfactory justifications.

"Basin og wala na diha nibalhin na or niundang na ang naa sa listahan nila….usa na sa atong tan-awon," he said.

To date, 2,500 pushers drug personalities have so far turned themselves in at the different police stations in the region after Philippine National Police Chief Rolando "Bato" dela Rosa implemented "Oplan Tokhang" (short for Toktok-Hangyo, or knock on the doors and persuade to stay away from illegal drugs) as a component of his "Oplan Double Barrel" campaign.

Double barrel is likened to that of a firearm where one barrel is aimed at the big-time drug lords and the lower barrel is aimed at small-time drug pushers and users.  (FREEMAN)