PNP officials linked to drugs face raps, loss of benefits

MANILA, Philippines — Criminal charges and forfeiture of benefits await two police generals and two colonels for possible links to the drug trade regardless of whether or not President Marcos accepts their courtesy resignation, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said yesterday.

At a press conference, Abalos said that aside from the administrative cases filed with the National Police Commission (Napolcom),

criminal charges are being readied against the four before the military and other law enforcement offices (MOLEO) of the Office of the Ombudsman.

“We will await the letter of Malacañang if it will accept or not. What is important is, even if the resignation will be accepted or not, the cases against them will proceed,” Abalos said.

Marcos, being the country’s Chief Executive, will have the final say on the matter.

Abalos said the Napolcom approved the recommendation of the five-man advisory body tasked to review the courtesy resignations of the 953 ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP), including the non-acceptance of the resignation of 917 officers and further investigation of 32 other officials.

“They (four officials) have not only resigned, the administrative case against them will also proceed, including the forfeiture of their retirement benefits,” the department secretary said.

At a forum in Washington, Marcos announced his acceptance of the resignation of two police generals, who remain unnamed.

“We just finished the deliberation on the resolution against the two colonels. They were charged and there will be a hearing for at least two to three weeks to make sure that once the President accepts their resignation, the cases against them will proceed, including the criminal aspect at the MOLEO,” Abalos added.

He promised to divulge the identities of the four police officials once appropriate criminal cases are filed against them before the ombudsman.

For his part, Napolcom vice chairman Alberto Bernardo confirmed that the four officials were part of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG).

PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said the four officials were already on floating status.

On the other hand, Abalos said the review of the courtesy resignations of 32 other ranking officials is ongoing.

“The investigation against the 32 officials will continue. We want to assure the public that the Napolcom is working to implement cleansing and to finally put an end to this issue,” Abalos added.

Comprising the five-member advisory panel were former PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, ex-defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, retired police general Isagani Nerez and former Court of Appeals associate justice Melchor Sadang.

Audit

Abalos, meanwhile, also revealed he has ordered an audit on the performance of the local Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADACs) in support of the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“The war on drugs is everyone’s business. This is not only a fight of the DILG, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. This is a fight of everybody, that is why we need to make sure that the local government units are with us in this campaign,” Abalos said.

The review will cover 81 provincial anti-drug abuse councils, 146 city ADACs and 1,488 municipal ADACs nationwide, according to Abalos.

For evaluation are ADACs’ allocation of funds for the implementation of anti-drug activities as indicated in the Peace and Order and Public Safety Plan, implementation of plans and programs and support for ADACs in component local government units (LGUs) and innovation.

He said ADACs are important in the whole-of-nation approach to stamping out the drug problem being implemented by the DILG through the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program.

Abalos said one of the mandates of ADACs is the establishment of community-based drug rehabilitation program for reforming drug users.

“The role of the anti-drug abuse councils and LGUs does not end in rehabilitation. We need to make sure that they become productive part of the society once they leave the rehabilitation centers through the skills training activities and reintegration programs,” Abalos added.

At the same time, he reminded local officials of their role in drug clearing operations in their respective areas.

“We need to continue the campaign against supply and demand reduction. We need to strengthen the police’s anti-drug operations and address the root problem of drugs, like education campaigns and awareness, poverty and unhealthy lifestyle,” he said.

Stricter vetting

Amid the latest controversy involving ranking police officers, Acorda said there will be stricter vetting processes for personnel of the PDEG.

“The anti-illegal drug campaign shall be done by ensuring the proper vetting of PDEG and DEU personnel to make sure that only those who have successfully undergone an honest vetting process will be assigned with anti-illegal drugs units,” Acorda said.

Pressed for more details regarding the stricter vetting process for PDEG officers and personnel, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the process is “continuous.”

“The only difference now is we will be stricter, and we are reiterating our policy now,” she said in Filipino.

“The guidelines for the proper vetting process will be set, and it will include the proper conduct of a background investigation,” she added.

“If you are already assigned [at drug units] for a long time, maybe it is high time to be removed from there, so you will not be taken in by the system,” Fajardo said.

“For those who are currently assigned at drug enforcement stations, they are actually undergoing periodic review of their performance, as well as their cases,” she added.

The ideal length of a tour of duty will be about five years, Fajardo said.

Acorda, meanwhile, expressed hope that whatever comes out of the investigation on third level policemen would redound to the benefit of the entire institution.

“On the part of the PNP, we have talked and in my consultation with other ranks, I do believe that this move, the conduct of investigation, will somehow answer all the questions about the gray areas on what happened,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“Whatever will be the result, we will welcome it and it is all part, a bitter truth. But it is all part of internal cleansing and I do believe after all these things, we will come up with a better police force,” he added.