NPD issues ultimatum to cops hooked on drugs

Northern Police District (NPD) director Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. has given only two options to cops hooked on illegal drugs — submit themselves for rehabilitation or be dismissed from the police service.

Franco made the pronouncement after NPD personnel, randomly picked by the district crime laboratory staff, underwent a surprise drug test on Friday at the NPD Headquarters in Caloocan City.

Franco, who also submitted himself for testing, however, pointed out that the police organization, his office in particular, is always willing to give "misguided" cops a chance to renew their lives.

Senior Inspector Albert Arturo, the crime lab chemist, said that the result of Friday’s drug tests will be released after two to three days.

"We need to examine again those who will be found positive for illegal drug use to make sure that the findings are correct," Arturo told The STAR.

As part of its fight against illegal drugs, the District Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Group, headed by Chief Inspector Rafael Santiago, is now preparing a draft proposal it would submit to government agencies to make owners of warehouses used in illegal drug operations equally liable with their tenants.

"That is part of our ‘target hardening measure’ in our fight against the illegal drug trade," Franco stressed.

He noted that on several occasions, owners of warehouses suspected to be in cahoots with illegal drug personalities, easily get off the hook just by showing a contract of lease to the authorities, claiming that they don’t have control on the activities of their lessee.