Caloocan drug pushers celebrating, holding boodle fights – PNP deputy

Drug personalities in Caloocan City are celebrating the recent relief of the entire police force by holding boodle fights in their turf in the northern part of the city, the city’s deputy police chief said yesterday.

In an interview, Chief Inspector Ilustre Mendoza said he has received information from concerned citizens that some known drug personalities have been openly celebrating the relief of the entire police force.

“Noong ni-relieve lahat ng Caloocan police, nagbalikan, nagpiyesta at nagpa-boodle fight pa ’yung mga drug pushers doon sa bukid area – North Caloocan (When the entire Caloocan police force was relieved, the drug pushers went back, celebrating and organizing boodle fights in the farm area of North Caloocan),” Mendoza said.

Mendoza said these acts are an insult to the police organization, especially since its hands are tied in operating against illegal drug traffickers following President Duterte’s order that only the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) can initiate anti-narcotics operations.

It will be recalled that all members of the Caloocan City Police have been ordered to undergo retraining, relieving them of their posts because of the controversial killing of teenagers as a result of a number of anti-drugs operations.

Despite the assignment of new cops in Caloocan City, Mendoza said drug pushers have been defiant and returned to their illegal trade.

“Noon, naglayasan sila [drug suspects] – Pero noong na-relieve and mga pulis natin na nakakakilala sa kanila, nagbalikan sila (Before, the [drug suspects] left the city – but when the cops who recognize them have been relieved, they came back),” he said.