Bato: 9 PNP officials fail drug test

MANILA, Philippines - Nine policemen assigned in regional offices who underwent tests last Friday have tested positive for drug use.

This was disclosed yesterday by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa, who said that if further tests confirm abuse of illegal drugs, the nine would be dismissed from the service.

De la Rosa said the PNP is mandated to go after illegal drugs and police personnel using the substances have no place in the organization.

“It is alarming, humiliating and infuriating that policemen who should enforce the law are the ones violating them,” said De la Rosa.

Some 2,400 policemen, including De la Rosa himself, regional directors and national support unit chiefs underwent a surprise drug test last Friday at Camp Crame.

As part of due process, the PNP chief said confirmatory tests would be conducted on the samples submitted by the nine policemen who tested positive. The identities of the nine are not yet known since the samples only bear codes.

If the additional tests yield the same results, De la Rosa vowed to immediately order the dismissal of the officials from the service.

“Our policy is zero-tolerance, they will be removed from the service and I will make sure that it will be fast,” said De la Rosa. “If they will not contest the result, the policemen will immediately face dismissal proceedings.”

De la Rosa said no one from among the senior police officers who underwent drug test at Camp Crame was found positive for illegal drugs.

Aside from addressing illegal drugs, De la Rosa said he already has a list of rogue cops involved in criminal activities, as he vowed to prioritize internal cleansing in the police organization.

Eastern Visayas police authorities said 271 drug users and 210 pushers have recently surrendered.

Regional police director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar said local policemen have also visited the houses of 343 of the 3,080 persons listed in the drug watch list personalities of the barangay Anti-Drug Council in the region.

Some 47 top police officials in region headed by Beltejar submitted themselves to drug tests during the first command conference of the regional police.

“We will implement a double barrel approach wherein we will target high value drug personalities in the regional level, but of course this drug test will continue on all policemen in the region for our internal cleansing,” Beltejar said.

Duterte could name names

President Duterte might just make good on his promise to identify the three top police officials who are linked to illegal drug syndicates, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said yesterday.

“If it does happen and it may, it will not be without precedent,” he said when pressed if Duterte will bring to Malacañang his shame campaign in Davao where he was a long-time mayor.

It has been reported that Duterte had announced the names of suspected drug lords and criminals on television as part of Davao City’s intensified anti-drug campaign.

Abella said the President might also name the three police officials linked to drugs. 

Abella also assured the public that Duterte, as a former prosecutor, knows the parameters of the law when asked if there is a need to investigate the killings of suspected drug users and pushers that have notably increased as the new President assumed office.

“The President is very well aware that everything should be done within the parameters of legality,” he added.

Duterte’s camp had earlier announced that there are 35 local officials involved in illegal drugs.

During his victory party in Davao City last month, Duterte urged three police generals with alleged ties to the illegal drug trade to resign from their posts or be humiliated.

Duterte has also bared plans to review the cases against policemen that have been dismissed. He said some crooked police officers were able to avoid punishment because the prescription period of their cases has lapsed.

In last week’s turnover ceremonies at Camp Crame, Duterte vowed to address corruption, criminality and illegal drugs. Duterte said he won’t mind if the law enforcers would kill drug suspects as part of their jobs, and that he is ready to protect them.

Killing of drug suspects is justified, Duterte said, if they resist police during operations. 

Duterte also said that the police anti-crime operations would be harsh, especially against police officials who are dealing with illegal drugs either as protectors or part of the syndicates.

De la Rosa said no one has so far taken his challenge to corrupt policemen to surrender within 48 hours or die.

During his assumption of command speech in Camp Crame last Friday, De la Rosa said he is giving policemen, especially those based in Metro Manila who had even boasted of recycling shabu, 48 hours to voluntarily surrender and spill the beans on illegal drug operations.

He vowed to continue cleansing the police organization of scalawags, particularly the so-called Ninjas, a group of policemen involved in the recycling of shabu that they seize during operations.

Drug users and pushers

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said drug users and pushers who have surrendered to authorities are not yet off the hook and would have to undergo investigation, citing Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act).

“If they surrender, they have to be investigated because they have to cooperate with police and pinpoint their companions in the illegal drug trade,” he said in a press conference last Friday.

“We cannot allow them to surrender and just go back to their old ways later on after release (from detention),” he pointed out. - With Edu Punay, Christina Mendez, Delon Porcalla, Perseus Echeminada, Miriam Desacada