Tacloban village officials back police anti-drug war suspension

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 2 (PNA) -- Village officials here have expressed support to President Rodrigo Duterte's directive suspending the anti-illegal drugs drive of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and divert its attention to internal cleansing.

"It’s a good move of the administration to concentrate first on cleaning the lineup of the PNP before conducting their drug operations outside their force," said Norman Mojados, a village chief of the city’s coastal Sagkahan district.

The local official believes that some policemen are involved in drug-related activities, putting the credibility of the police on the line.

“Getting rid of police scalawags would restore trust and confidence in the police,” he added.

“Considering that the police is the main implementer of the administration's war on drugs, it is their responsibility to practice what they preach,” said Belena Hilacay, a village council member of a community in Sagkahan district.

But village watchman Jaime Boctot is anxious that suspension of police anti-drug war will encourage drug personalities to return to their old habits.

“I hope the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will step up their anti-drug operations to sustain gains in the past few months,” Boctot said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Eastern Visayas has expressed its full support to President Duterte’s order to suspend anti-drug operations and start the war against police scalawags.

PNP Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar has urged policemen and personnel not to be dismayed on the recent development.

“President Duterte promised to restore the police operations once cleansing of the organization is finished,” Beltejar said in a statement.

The PNP hopes that the public’s continuous trust and support in “the government’s campaign against illegal drugs will not wane but bolster more in its efforts to weed out corruption and illegal drugs.”

Recently, the national PNP leadership got irked over the recent killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo allegedly by policemen inside Camp Crame compound.

Earlier, PNP Chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa emphasized that the war on drugs will be temporarily stopped, and war against police scalawags will be a priority for now.

The PNP will form a Task Force to be led by an Intelligence Group to do the internal cleansing, according to Beltejar.

Beltejar ordered that all Anti-Illegal Drugs Groups from the regional level down to its lowest units to be abolished and divert to the seven focused crimes – murder, homicide, robbery, theft, physical injuries, motornapping, carnapping, and all other forms of prevalent crimes. (PNA) FPV/SQM/ Franchette May M. Tolibas & Gerico A. Sabalza (OJTs)