Human rights seminar for policemen pushed

The operatives who will composed the reactivated Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will undergo human rights seminars.

Supt. Artemio Ricabo, CCPO deputy director for administration, said that lectures will be handled by the Commission on Human Rights 7.

“They will be refreshed on the rights of every individual that should not be violated by a police officer,” he said.

Body cameras will be used by anti-illegal drug operatives to record their operations.

DEUs of CCPO and 11 police stations will conduct full-blown drug operations next week.

Around 30 to 50 personnel compose the CCPO’s DEU, while every police station have five members.

Some of the DEU members are new. The other operatives who are handling several drug cases were advised not to join in the operations so they can focus on the cases.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued an order last Oct. 10, designating Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as the sole agency to carry out drug busts.

He then directed other law enforcement agencies to relay all data or information they’ve gathered to PDEA for appropriate action.

Last Dec. 5, however, Duterte allowed the police to have an active participation in the war on drugs again, but PDEA is still the lead agency.

He said it will prevent the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country.

In Cebu City, eighteen users and a pusher facing warrants of arrest were caught from Oct. 11 until Dec. 12.

CCPO operatives seized 33.46 grams of suspected shabu worth P394,828, a Dangerous Drugs Board value. /