Following Philippine National Police chief Director Ronald dela Rosa’s order to disband the police’s anti-drugs unit, the Police Regional Office 11 on Wednesday said it will focus on ‘internal cleansing’ to purge its ranks of scalawags.
“The rogue policemen must go,” said PRO regional director C/Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, adding there would be mercy against those that seek to destroy the image of the police organization.
President Duterte has ordered cleansing of the PNP in the wake of the reported involvement of police officers SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel and Supt. Rafael Dumlao II in the abduction and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.
In a press conference Wednesday, PRO 11 Regional Director CSupt. Manuel Gaerlan said that they have received the mandate from dela Rosa to “suspend the war on illegal drugs” to intensify the drive against scalawags within the organization.
“Apektado na rin ang mga matitinong police dahil sa ginawa ni Sta. Isabel and Dumlao,” he said, explaining that the whole PNP is demoralized with the recent controversy they are currently facing.
However, Gaerlan clarified that the suspension on their operations against illegal drugs only refers on police-initiated ones.
“If a crime is happening in your presence, nakita mo nagbebenta ng drugs sa harap mo, pulis ka, kailangan aksyunan mo yan. Ibig sabihin yung mga reactive operations, nakita mo nagbebetahan, alangang hindi mo hulihin e nasa harapan mo,” he said.
As part of intensified internal cleansing, they have also created a counterintelligence group focusing on running after rouge cops.
He added that they would show “no mercy” against the policemen who destroy the image of the organization.
“They don’t have the right to stay longer in the PNP,” he added.
Davao City Police Office director Sr. Supt. Michael John Dubria, who was also present in the press conference, added that the cleansing has been intensified because of what happened.
“We will do it through counter -intelligence and we are encouraging the populace to report to us any police officer that is involved in any illegal drug activity and we will file appropriate charges against them, an administrative or criminal case,” Dubria said.
Meanwhile, Gaerlan said that while the police cannot do it’s operations against illegal drugs, they would only be supporting the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency which would take over the said campaign.
“We’ll contact PDEA if ever may tatawag sa amin regarding illegal drug operations and we are more willing to transmit any information [regarding illegal drug campaign] sa agency,” he added.
