Living up to his promise to crack down police officials
involved in illegal drug trade, President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday publicly
named the five Philippine National Police (PNP) officials suspected to be
involved in illegal drugs and ordered them relieved from the posts.
President Duterte made the announcement at the 69th
Anniversary celebration of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) at the Clark Airbase
in Mabalacat, Pampanga.
The five PNP officials include former PNP deputy director
general Marcelo Garbo Jr. whom Duterte said was a “protector of drug syndicate
in this country.”
President Duterte also identified police generals Vicente
Loot who is the newly-elected mayor of Daangbantayan town in Cebu
province.
”He (Loot) is a narco politics,” Duterte said.
The President also named Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz, former
regional director of Region 11; former National Capital Region Police Office
(NCRPO) director Police Director Joel Pagdilao; and former Quezon City Police
Director Edgardo Tinio;
”As this time, I ordered them relieved from their
assignments and report to the Director General. I would like to talk to them,”
President Duterte said.
”I am compelled by my sense of duty to tell everything
specially the police involved in the illegal drugs one way or the other who are
contributing to the deterioration of law and order of this country,” he said.
The President also expects the National Police Commission
(Napolcom) “to do their thing.”
”Investigate this and do not give me zarzuela. Find the truth
because overnight I was really trying to figure out. I do not necessarily
humiliate people. It is not my practice. I’m a politician,” President Duterte
said.
”I said, I have the sacred obligation to the Filipino people
by my oath office. I have to tell you the truth and the truth for the moment,
these people, after so many validation, even I was still mayor of Davao City,
their names have come out already with the intensification of criminal
syndicates and drug distribution, marami nang namamatay at marami pang
mamatay,” he added.
He warned the police and the officials not to join the
illegal activities “because you will place yourself in the line of fire.”
”I have been warning everybody: At the end of my speeches,
when I was campaigning for the presidency, I always end it by saying “Do not
destroy my country because I will kill you. Do not destroy the young people of
this country because I will kill you. Kapag hindi pa naman sapat sa lahat ‘yan
ay ewan ko, what else,” President Duterte said.
President Duterte warned that he will also clean all the
government department, agencies and offices of the illegal drugs and
corruption, particularly the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal
Revenue.
PNP Chief Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa was present when Duterte announced the police
generals who are allegedly protecting the drug syndicates.
”The campaign against drugs will continue, hopefully in the
fullness of God’s time. I may not be able to really clean it three or six
months but by that time perhaps, medyo tapos na,” he said.
President Duterte thanked former President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo for raising the level of drug problem as national security
threat.
”Therefore, paving the way for me to ask the Armed Forces of
the Philippines
The President also told the law enforcers to shoot first
“when you think your life is in danger.”
”Hindi ako uurong dito. And I said, I would stake my honor,
my life, and even the presidency. Kaya kung bitawan yan. I don’t have any
illusion about being their all the time or hanging on the presidency. Nandito
na rin ako, gagawin ko na rin gagawin ko,” President Duterte said.
President Duterte vowed to continue his fight also against
criminality, corruption, kidnapping and other illegal activities.
”The criminals have hijacked, have taken over the public
streets and place. Our children cannot go around already. We have to remove
that fear. Let us transfer that fear in the heart of the criminals,” Duterte
said.
”Corruption in the government must stop. It has to stop. You
place yourself in jeopardy of going into prison,” he added.
The President promised to arm the AFP with necessary equipment
to improve their fighting capabilities.
Dela Rosa on Tuesday said that three of the five generals
had been relieved from their post effective July 1.
Duterte said although he doesn’t want to humiliate people,
he was compelled by a sense of duty to divulge their names.
According to Dela Rosa the President ordered the relieved of
the active generals in their respective post and asked the Police National
Commission (Napolcom) to conduct investigation.
He said that as PNP Chief, "I have a heavy heart receiving
this information but I have to do my job."
"Masakit man sa akin pero kailangan trabahuhin natin
because in as much I do not want to hurt may upperclassmen I have a duty to
perform before the Filipino people. we are accountable to the Filipino people,"
he added.
For those active policemen, he said that they had
instruction that they should report to his office and they would be liable
administratively while for those retired cops they would be treated as civilian
offenders and undergo the usual process.
"Kung ayaw nila sumunod sa order ng President yung mga
active, they will be liable administratively. My instruction sa kanila na
magreport. I presume and I am sure they will report to me. (For retired) they
will be treated as civilian offenders retired naman sila so they will go to the
usual process. Kailangan mo ng ebidensya kung meron you file the case,"
Dela Rosa explained.
Record showed that Garbo is member of Philippine Military
Academy (PMA) Class 1981 who retired from service last March 2016 while Loot is
a member of PMA Class 1982, Pagdilao is a member of PMA Class 1984; Tinio is
member of PMA Class 1985; Diaz is member of PMA Class 1984 and was allegedly a
protector of illegal drugs.
In an radio interview, General Diaz denied the allegation saying
he will personally go to Camp
Crame
Meanwhile, Tinio denied involvement in illegal drugs saying
he was willing to submit himself to lie detector test.
The Philippines News Agency (PNA) tried to reach Pagdilao
and the other generals but to no avail as of press time.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=901518
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