ManilaTimes-Jan 4
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) disclosed on Wednesday that about 300 ranking officials in the Philippine National Police are involved in the illegal drug trade and has asked them to resign from their posts. Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. did not identify the colonels and generals during a press briefing but said that those on their list have “infected” the government’s war on drugs and will be screened for their “questionable integrity” as law enforcers and apprehending officers. “It’s hard to fight in a war where your ally will shoot you in the end. We need to clean up our ranks. The people need to trust us even more if we are honorable,” Abalos said at the PNP’s National Headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City. The DILG chief said the resignation of these ranking officials will help keep the public’s confidence in the government’s anti-drug campaign, as well as their trust in the police. Abalos said these officials will be reinstated should they be found not guilty. He said the screening committee, composed of five officials, are in charge of accepting their resignation. In the meantime, these same officials may still continue with their respective duties until their resignation is acknowledged by the committee. There are at least 24, 000 anti-drug operations launched and 30,000 peddlers arrested since Fedinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. took over the reins of government on June 30, 2022. The DILG chief’s call stemmed from the series of big-time drug hauls in Manila and Taguig involving officials of the PNP and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Meanwhile, PNP Public Information Office Chief Police Col. Rederico Maranan said in an ambush interview that they would comply with the request of the DILG secretary. Read more at: https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/01/04/news/300-police-officials-linkedto-illegal-drugs-asked-to-resign/1872753
