Policemen on drug list

EDITORIAL

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed under tight monitoring 762 police officers suspected to be involved in illegal drug activities, according to PNP chief Oscar Albayalde.

Albayalde confirmed on Thursday that he submitted the list of 762 policemen to President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday. The list was drawn by the PNP’s Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG).

Albayalde was at the regional police headquarters in Camp Dangwa, La Trinidad Friday for the 118th police service anniversary.

IMEG was reportedly created in February this year “to monitor specifically itong tinatawag nilang scalawags in our ranks (these scalawags in our ranks).”

The PNP said 22 policemen were also being monitored on suspicion that they were recycling seized drugs.

Five of the 22 policemen are in Metro Manila, National Capital Region Police Office chief Guillermo Eleazar earlier said.

“We provided him (Duterte) the names and I also briefed him on the status of these ‘ninja cops,’” Albayalde earlier told reporters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Policemen who recycle illegal drugs seized during police operations were tagged as ninja cops.

The PNP chief said it was up to the President whether he would disclose the names of those on the list.

Albayalde noted that the policemen in the list would be given due process. Those who would be proven innocent would be delisted, he added.

“There is a continuing process of adjudication,” Albayalde said.

Since July 2016, 448 PNP personnel have been dismissed for involvement in illegal drugs.

Albayalde said he also updated the President on the status of the PNP’s campaign against illegal drugs and erring policemen.

The issue on drug recycling came to fore following reports that several policemen protected “drug queen” Guia Gomez Castro, who left the country last week.

On Thursday, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año dared Castro to return if she is innocent.

She should answer all the accusations against her and we will conduct an investigation if this is true, who are her contacts. If it’s drugs we need to end it),” Año told reporters.

Albayalde admitted that the controversy affected the morale of the police officers.

Also on Thursday, Sen. Richard Gordon said it was possible that rogue policemen involved in illegal drugs helped Castro escape to prevent her from becoming a witness against them.

“It could be a diversionary tactic or a way of eliminating a possible witness against senior [PNP] officials,” Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said.

Castro, former head of Barangay 484, Zone 48 in Sampaloc, Manila, reportedly left the country on September 21.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Aaron Aquino said Castro bought seized crystal meth, locally known as shabu, from rogue policemen.

He said she cannot operate without the blessing of influential people. Top police officials urged the public to report rogue cops so they will be prosecuted.