EDITORIAL - Heads should roll in Jaguar debacle

It has been exactly a week since the controversial raid on a compound owned by a suspected drug lord in Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City but the police have yet to explain how the subject was able to elude arrest.

While the raid yielded P4 million worth of shabu, suspected drug dealer Jeffrey "Jaguar" Diaz, the subject of an arrest warrant, had already escaped even before the authorities could arrive in the area.

Following the incident, suspicions arose that Diaz got information about the police operation beforehand. And the fact that he has been eluding arrest several times only brings many to conclude that he has contacts within the city police organization.   

The city government's Police Coordinating and Advisory Council and the leadership of the Cebu City Police Office should take those suspicions seriously and launch a thorough investigation into the incident.

Because the controversy has left the CCPO officials with no other option than to look into how Diaz was able to escape in the surprise dawn raid, heads should roll as to why the information on the operation was leaked.      

Yes, the public has been commending the city police for scoring big the past months against pushers and dealers in their intensified drive against illegal drug trade. Thus, they should not let the Diaz debacle spoil those accomplishments.     

Police Regional Office-7 director Chief Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas vowed to investigate all personnel involved in the operation, not discounting the possibility that there was someone from the raiding team who tipped off Diaz and his cohorts.

Although the raiding team was able to recover huge amount of illegal drugs, Bañas admitted that the desired outcome was not achieved since the subject of the operation managed to escape.

Diaz has long been reported to be involved in the illegal drug trade. Many believe he owes his rapid rise from being an ordinary street pusher to one of Metro Cebu's noted drug lords to the protection he receives from some in the local police force.

Now, in their investigation, police officials should pursue all angles to unmask those policemen on the drug lord's payroll. Cleaning up the ranks of scalawags should be their first priority to show to the public that they are very serious in their campaign.