Case set to be filed vs ‘drug generals’

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to file today complaints against three of the five police generals named by President Duterte as protectors of the illegal drug trade.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar however did not name the three police generals during an interview over dzRB yesterday.

He also did not say what complaints would be filed against them.

“There are many of them announced earlier. There are local chief executives. Let’s go with the generals first,” Andanar said.

Andanar said he does not want to preempt Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno, who was tasked with investigating Duterte’s announcement of the involvement of local government officials in illegal drugs.

“After that, cases will also be filed against local government executives and other officers who were identified in the (drug) list,” Andanar said in Filipino.

Duterte linked some police generals, including two who had retired and one of them since elected as local official, as being either protectors or are directly involved in illegal drugs.

He named former Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy director general Marcelo Garbo Jr., who he said was a “protector of drug syndicates.”

The President also mentioned Chief Supts. Bernardo Diaz, Edgardo Tinio, Director Joel Pagdilao and former police general Vicente Loot, now mayor of Daanbantayan town in Cebu.

All five denied the allegations when they personally appeared before PNP chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa.

Tinio served as police director of Quezon City Police District while Pagdilao was chief of the National Capital Region Police Office. Both were among the top police officials affected by the major revamp initiated by Dela Rosa.

Garbo is a member of Philippine Military Academy Class 1981, Loot belongs to PMA Class 1982, Tinio is a member of Class 1985 while Pagdilao and Diaz are classmates in Class 1984.