77 Central Luzon cops linked to drugs dispatched to Mindanao

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa recently confirmed the relief and transfer of 77 Central Luzon police officers to different assignment areas in Mindanao.

Dela Rosa said the 77 police officers, mostly assigned in Bulacan and Pampanga have been linked to illegal drug activities.

One of those transferred to Mindanao was recently killed in an encounter, although Dela Rosa did not identify the casualty or the place of the incident.

To serve and protect

During the 115th Police Service anniversary celebration here, the PNP chief admitted that the government’s campaign against illegal drugs will be beefed up if the PNP is successful, in cleansing its own ranks.

“The organization has been shamed too many times already because our fellow police officers who swore to serve and protect [our countrymen], have been doing otherwise. Thus, whoever in the organization will be proven to be involved in illegal drugs will receive the sanction they deserve,” Dela Rosa cautioned.

He reiterated his call for policemen to stop the illegal activities, stressing he will be their worst enemy if found they are into it (drugs).

Foul!

The PNP’s move to transfer erring police officers or those with suspected links to lawless activities from Luzon to Mindanao, however, has been opposed by some lawmakers, including Zamboanga First District Rep. Celso Lobregat.

Lobregat said transferring relieved policemen due to drugs to Mindanao including Zamboanga is not the solution to the problem in the PNP organization.

Moving the rogue policemen involved in illegal drugs to the region will also paint a bad image to the organization they represent there.

Already, several policemen in different regions who were relieved from their post due to illegal drug use or illegal drugs transactions were either sent to Basilan, Zamboanga, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi among others as their sanction for violating their task to serve and protect the citizenry.