15 policemen get cash incentives from Capitol

CEBU, Philippines - Following a successful anti-drug operation in Medellin town, 15 personnel of the Provincial Intelligence Branch of the Cebu Provincial Police Office yesterday received cash incentives from the Capitol.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III personally handed over P20,000 to PIB chief Rodulfo Albotra while P10,000 each to 14 of his men.

Davide explained that giving reward to police officers for their successful operations is part of the program under the Cebu Provincial Anti-drug Abuse Commission to encourage them to improve their performance.

“Problema man gud ang drugs sa ato. We have to give incentives for these police personnel who are part of the team that goes after these drug dealers, pushers. That will also boost their morale,” Davide said.

Last September 11, two suspected drug personalities were arrested while a man was shot dead by the police during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Lamintak Norte in Medellin town.

Police recovered 80 small packs of suspected shabu worth at least P80,000 from one of the suspects.

The police also recovered .357 revolver with four rounds of ammunition and caliber .38 revolver with five bullets as well as a .22 caliber pistol.

Albutra said that the intensified anti-drug operation is part of the Capitol’s thrust to weed out illegal drugs in different localities of the province.

“The incentives and rewards that we are receiving from the provincial government is also a motivation on the part of our operatives to exert more effort in doing their respective task especially in the fight against illegal drugs,” Albutra told reporters.

As part of intensifying their anti-drug operations, station commanders in the province are required to conduct buy-bust operations and serve at least two search warrants every month against identified drug personalities in their respective areas.

In a span of one week, he added, at least 37 search warrants have been served and eight buy-bust operations were conducted.

“We arrested a lot of personalities and illegal drugs with an estimated total value of around P6 million,” Albutra said, adding that chiefs of police who fail to comply with the directive will face administrative investigation.

The Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Commission earlier gave P350,000 to different police stations in component cities and municipalities of the province to fund their anti-drug operations.

The program is part of Police Regional Office-7’s “Segunda Limpyo Probinsya” which CPADAC has adopted in collaboration with the CPPO. — (FREEMAN)