No relief orders yet for 13 ‘narco’ cops

MANILA, Philippines — Five days after President Marcos accepted their resignation, 13 of the 18 ranking police official officials with suspected links to the illegal drug trade remain at their posts in the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The officials continue to hold on their positions as the PNP has not yet issued relief orders to them.

“Wala pa po lumalabas na relief orders (No relief orders have been released),” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in a text message on Saturday.

The 13 officials are Colonels Rogarth Campo, Rommel Ochave, Rommel Velasco, Robin King Sarmiento, Fernando Ortega, Rex Derilo, Lawrence Cajipe, Dario Menor, Joel Tampis, Michael David, Igmedio Bernaldez, Rodolfo Albotra Jr. and Marvin Sanchez.

Those on floating status are Brigadier Generals Remus Medina, Randy Peralta and Pablo Labra II and Colonels Julian Olonan and Rolando Portera.

Of the five, Olonan and Portera were relieved due to the alleged irregularities surrounding the seizure of 990 kilos of shabu worth P6.7 billion in Tondo, Manila in October 2022.

Medina and Peralta were relieved from their posts during the term of former PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. while Labra was placed on floating status by PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr.

Acorda earlier sought a meeting with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin to clarify whether the 18 police officials should be removed from their posts or from the police organization.

For detained former senator Leila de Lima, the story on the police officials should not end with their resignations.

“Prosecuting them with earnestness should be next. And it should not stop there,” she said in a statement.

De Lima is not discounting the possibility there might be other people behind the police officials.

“There must be other higher or more powerful personality or personalities, not necessarily within the PNP hierarchy, behind these scoundrels in uniform,” she said.

De Lima challenged government officials to unmask the other people behind the illegal drug trade.

“Unless these big bosses are exposed and proceeded against with the fullest means and extent of the law, these current actions vs PNP officials would only be of minimal impact, if not for naught,” she said.