189 local execs stripped of police powers

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 189 local chief executives were stripped of their supervisory powers over the police for alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade and other irregularities since President Duterte took office in July 2016, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reported yesterday.

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said eight governors and 181 mayors lost their supervision over their respective police forces following reports that implicated the local officials in illegal drugs.

The others were stripped of their police powers for failure to stop terrorism and allegedly supporting extremist groups in Mindanao, Malaya told radio dzMM.

Malaya said some of these local officials are no longer in office after they lost in the midterm elections.

“It’s possible because we have a new set of local government officials as of June 30,” he said.