Ochave, Labra, Derilo, Albotra, Sanchez: President Marcos accepts resignations

CEBU, Philippines — Six Philippine National Police (PNP) officials who have served in Central Visayas were among the 18 from all over the country whose resignations President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. accepted, following allegations of illegal drugs involvement.

They include Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) Director Rommel Ochave, whose replacement is not clear yet.

During his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said he was compelled to accept the resignations of so-called erring members of the PNP.

“Unscrupulous law enforcers and others involved in the highly nefarious drug trade have been exposed. I will be accepting their resignations,” he said.

A day after the SONA, PBBM announced that he had accepted the resignation of 18 third-level PNP officers.

This is based upon the recommendation of the National Police Commission Ad Hoc Advisory Group that investigated the matter, according to the Philippine Communications Office’s statement.

In a letter to the President, PNP Chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. reported that the Ad Hoc Advisory Group conducted a thorough investigation into the alleged involvement of 953 third-level officers in illegal drugs activities. The said officers have already tendered their courtesy resignation pending the investigation.

Of the 953, the Group recommended the non-acceptance of 935 courtesy resignations and the acceptance of the resignation of the 18 officers which includes CPPO’s Provincial Director Ochave.

The Freeman tried to get Ochave’s side yesterday, but he refused to comment. There are also no words yet from the PNP as to who will take over the CPPO at the moment.

Five other high-ranked officials Cebu who are part of the 18 and had served Cebu and the region are PBGens. Remus Balingasa Medina and Pablo Gacayan Labra II, and PCols. Rex Ordoño Derilo, Rodolfo Calope Albotra, Jr., and Marvin Barba Sanchez .

Medina, according to a report from PNA last year, had been assigned to various commands, including as Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 Regional Intelligence Division chief and as PRO-7 Regional Comptrollership Division chief.

Labra, on the other hand, had been the former chief of PRO-7 Regional Intelligence Division.

Albotra, Sanchez, and Derilo, on the other hand, were among the five officials in Cebu who were ordered relieved and transferred in 2016 for alleged engagements in illicit activities, including the illegal drug trade.

The rest of the 18 officials whose resignations the president accepted are PBGen. Randy Quines Peralta; and PCols. Rogarth Bulalacao Campo, Rommel Allaga Velasco,  Robin King Sarmiento, Fernando Reyes Ortega , Julian Tesorero Olonan, Rolando Tapon Portera, Lawrence Bonifacio Cajipe , Dario Milagrosa Menor O, Joel Kagayed Tampis, Michael Arcillas David, and Igmedio Belonio Bernaldez.

Acorda said the said officials are continuously being monitored.

“Orders for their relief from their present positions will be immediately issued and the (resigned) officers will be assigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit, DPRM (Directorate for Personnel and Records Management) to preclude them from exerting further influence and/or performing illegal activities using their positions,” he said.

At the start of his administration, President Marcos vowed “to clean up the ranks of the PNP, saying that the drug problem would not exist without the involvement of police officials.”

In his SONA, he said he will be appointing individuals with unquestionable integrity to lead the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, as he emphasized that his administration is putting “a new face” to the campaign.

“In their stead, we will install individuals with unquestionable integrity, who will be effective and trustworthy in handling the task of eliminating this dreaded and corrosive social curse. We cannot tolerate corruption or incompetence in government,” the president said.

He also declared that the government “will relentlessly continue our fight against drug syndicates, shutting down their illegal activities. We will shut down their activities and dismantle their network of operations.”

Meanwhile, Police Lt. Col. Janette Rafter, CCPO deputy city director for operations, said that they are continuing their "relentless" campaign against illegal drugs.

The campaign, she said, is also important to support the Local Government Unit's Community Based Rehabilitation Program.

She said their anti-drug operation is relentless and spares no one, whether they are small or bigtime pushers.

Last Monday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 and Cebu City Police Office (CCPO)-Police Station 8 operatives seized one kilo of suspected shabu worth P6.9 million from a "new" drug personality during a buy-bust operation.

Aside from the suspected illegal drugs, Jundam Dacalos, 37, of Sitio San Vicente, Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City also yielded the buy-bust money, a cellphone, scales, and other items.

He could allegedly dispose of 500 grams to 1,000 grams of shabu each week.

When his activities reached the attention of authorities, a buy-bust operation was launched against him in Sitio Proper Pulangbato, Barangay Pulangbato, Cebu City, following a week of case build-up.

The suspected shabu was subjected to chemical analysis for confirmation while a criminal complaint for violating Section 5 and 11, Article II, of Republic Act 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) is already being prepared against Dacalos. — Romeo Marantal  (FREEMAN)