Sinas: Addict cops must be fired within 2 months

MANILA, Philippines — Police officers testing positive for illegal drugs must be dismissed from the Philippine National Police within two months, PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said yesterday.

Sinas said the PNP is now fast-tracking summary dismissal proceedings against personnel found to be drug users, lamenting how some of their cases have dragged on for more than a year.

He cited the case of a police officer testing positive for drug use in March last year, whom he had recommended for summary dismissal when he was still National Capital Region Police Office director, but remains in the service to this day.

Sinas said the problem is that these police officers continue to receive salaries while their administrative cases are being heard. “In two months, they should be dismissed,” he said in Filipino.

Sought for comment, Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo of the Internal Affairs Service said administrative cases of PNP members involved in illegal drugs are resolved in 30 days.

Recently, two police officers in Albay as well as a cadet and employee of the Philippine National Police Academy tested positive for illegal drugs.

Since July 2016, at least 438 PNP personnel were found to be drug users.

Once PNP personnel are found positive for drug use, Sinas said they should be dishonorably discharged because if they resign, they may apply for a job in another government office.