EDITORIAL — Cops-turned-robbers

Going by official records, drug-related killings continue, although on a much reduced scale compared to the numbers during the previous administration. Officials of the Marcos administration have committed to a new, less violent approach in confronting the drug menace.

Authorities must also deal with another problem related to the campaign against prohibited drugs: the involvement of law enforcement operatives themselves in the illegal but highly lucrative trade.

In October last year, the seizure of a whopping 990 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu valued at P6.7 billion led to the sacking of a police sergeant, Rodolfo Mayo Jr. Last week, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, whose department has jurisdiction over the Philippine National Police, said he believed higher ranking PNP officers were behind the enormous drug haul.

Two months after that shabu bust, the National Capital Region Police Office raided the Southern District Office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Taguig and arrested its head, Enrique Lucero, plus PDEA agents Anthony Vic Alabastro and Jaireh Llaguno together with their driver Mark Warren Mallo. The suspects face charges of selling shabu “recycled” from seized drugs to undercover NCRPO agents.

When anti-narcotics operatives aren’t being accused of drug trafficking, they are being linked to drug-related shakedowns. Last week, three members of the Muntinlupa police drug enforcement unit and an intelligence officer were sacked after being accused of robbing a couple of P447,000 in cash and personal belongings during a raid on their house in Barangay Putatan at 12:30 a.m. on April 4.

Sr. M/Sgt. Leoren Javier, Cpl. Jenniel Calica and Patrolmen Cris Callie Cruz and Louie Peña are under restrictive custody of the PNP on charges of robbery-extortion. The victims said the policemen threatened to file drug charges against the husband. They allegedly forced the woman to transfer P50,000 from her GCash account to another, and later took her husband’s ATM card, but failed to withdraw money because the machine was offline. The cops also allegedly pocketed cash they found while searching the house without a warrant ostensibly for drugs.

If there was valid ground to raid the house for illegal drugs, the way it was carried out was guaranteed to lead to the acquittal of the alleged drug suspects. The only positive aspect in this story is that the couple summoned the courage to file a complaint and the PNP arrested the raiders.

The public is waiting for the results of a review of the courtesy resignations submitted by over 900 PNP officers from the rank of colonel up. The review, conducted by a special panel, is supposed to weed out several ranking PNP officers believed involved in the illegal drug trade. Recent developments indicate that the rot cuts across all levels of the PNP hierarchy, requiring a more thorough housecleaning.