‘Don’t accept bribes, don’t plant evidence’

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu’s drug enforcement teams were warned not to accept bribe money and not to plant evidence, otherwise they will be punished.

Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, the newly-installed Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) director, made the stern warning during his roundup meeting yesterday.

At least 300 anti-drug cops attended the meeting held at the grounds of Camp Arcadio Maxilom in CPPO headquarters in Sudlon, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

Mariano, in his speech, reminded his men to abide by the rules of anti-illegal drug operations.

“All the anti-narcotics teams are not allowed to receive any form of money from questionable personalities. And by no means, plant evidence during operations,” he said.

He also warned the teams to shape up and improve on their performance.

“Think of the penalty of planting evidence. If caught, you will face stiffer sanctions,” he said.

He reminded the cops to always conduct a pre-operational procedure, which includes planning and coordination with his office.

“I want to know your plans and everything. Remember that your pre-operational procedures will make or break you,” he said.

On the other hand, the 300 cops were subjected to a surprise drug test yesterday as part of the Philippine National Police’s effort to cleanse the ranks of police scalawags.

Mariano said results of those found positive of using shabu will undergo confirmatory tests.

If the confirmatory drug tests are positive, he said, the police officer/s will undergo a summary hearing for dismissal.

Moreover, Mariano said he is still in the process of selecting a new set of Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) operatives.

It can be recalled that 18 PIB personnel, including its chief, Police Major Alejandro Batobalonos, were relieved after a “misecounter” with a policeman.

Police Cpl. Feliciano Yballe Jr., an operative of the Cebu City Mobile Force Company, was “killed” by PIB operatives in his residence in the mountain barangay of Sudlong 1 in Cebu City past midnight on May 1, 2019.

Members of the PIB tracker team were sent to hunt the killer of Police Master Sergeant Junard Cinco, who was killed in an ambush in Toledo City on April 30.

The team was supposed to seek Yballe’s help in locating one of Cinco’s killers. But the lack of coordination led to the misenecounter that killed Yballe. —/KBQ (FREEMAN)