Mayors told: Curb drugs or lose power over cops

MANILA, Philippines – Mayors and other local officials have been ordered to curb the illegal drug trade in six months or else lose their power and control over the police.

Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno yesterday issued the order to local government officials, warning they would be stripped of control and supervision over local police if they fail to address the drug problem in their jurisdictions.

“We are giving them six months from now up to December. If they cannot lower the number of people with drug addiction in their area, they may be charged with serious neglect of duty,” Sueno said.

Sueno noted President Duterte’s pronouncement that there were about 23 mayors protecting drug trafficking.

Duterte said he would soon identify the errant local executives after he publicly named five police generals whom he accused of being on the take in illegal drug operations.

Sueno said “inept” local executives may also lose their National Police Commission (Napolcom) deputation that gives them direct operational supervision over police units in their jurisdiction.?

“The (interior and local government) department is prepared and persistent in making our communities safe by first eliminating drug menace. We are checking and ensuring that mayors are our partners in this law-given mandate in maintaining peace and order,” he added.?Sueno warned local government officials that they may also be charged with neglect of duty if they fail to address the problem of illegal drugs in their areas.?Under the law, Sueno said local chief executives are empowered to maintain peace and order in their areas through control of the police.

“It is one of the reasons why mayors of cities and municipalities are deputized by the Napolcom vis-a-vis the Philippine National Police so they can have a direct operational supervision over PNP personnel assigned in their areas,” he said.?Otherwise, a failure on the part of the local chief executive to eradicate crimes and illegal drugs in his or her area of jurisdiction is tantamount to “possible citation of neglect for duty,” Sueno said.

In November 2015, the Napolcom issued memorandum circular prescribing additional functions and duties of local officials as its deputies.  ?Sueno said the directive authorizes them to formulate and adopt effective mechanisms for the coordination, cooperation and consultation with the citizenry and law enforcement agencies consistent with and in pursuance of the Community and Service-Oriented Policing (CSOP) system.?

“Failure of a governor or mayor to perform the additional functions and duties shall be deemed engaging in acts which negate the effectiveness of the peace and order campaign which, once validated or established, shall be a ground for the suspension or withdrawal of his/her deputation by the commission,” Sueno said, quoting the circular.?Sueno has instructed the DILG’s Legal and Legislative Liaison Service (LLLS) to prioritize the probe on local officials as soon as the department receives the order of Malaca?ang.?Romeo Benitez, chief of the Trial and Investigation Division of DILG - LLLS, described as doable the directive of the interior secretary.

?“It’s doable because it’s only validation and evidence gathering. It is not actually a tedious process. The only basic rule to observe here is we do not violate constitutional and basic rights of the persons being subjected to fact-finding inquiry,” he said.?Benitez explained the process was just a case build-up leading to a possible determination of probable or sufficiency of cause that can make persons liable for a full-blown or more formal trial. ?“We will try to determine or validate the allegations against them. If in the affirmative then we can cause the filing or initiate commencement of a possible formal investigation against them,” Benitez said.