INCENTIVES, TOOLS FOR FIGHT VS. ILLEGAL DRUGS.

Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office executive director Carmen Remedios Durano-Meca, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale (fourth to sixth from left, respectively) lead the ceremonial turnover of DSLR cameras to police station chiefs in Cebu Province. Receiving them at the March 11, 2019 ceremony that also awarded top performers in the fight against illegal drugs were (from second from left) Supt. Janette Rafter of the Toledo City Police Station, Supt. Marlu Conag (Talisay City Police Station), Supt. Emelie Santos (Bogo City Police Station), Supt. Clarise Gabutan (Carcar City Police Station) and Supt. Maribel Getigan (Danao City Police Station). With them are Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Senior Supt. Manuel Abrugena (extreme left) and CPPO officials Supt. Ismael Gauna and Supt. Jason Villamater (tenth from left and extreme right).

“Stay neutral always. Just do your job.”

Gov. Hilario Davide III made this appealed to members of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Monday, March 11.

The police officials were at the Capitol to pay a courtesy call on the governor and to attend the Operations Lawmen Awarding Ceremony.

Davide urged them not to allow themselves to be used by politicians and reminded them that they should side with the law.

“Ayaw mo pag-apil-apil sa kampanya sa mga pulitiko (Don’t participate in the campaigns),” he said.

Davide, who is running for vice governor in the midterm elections in May, also advised CPPO personnel to heed the orders of their superior, Director Manuel Abrugena.

Abrugena assured him they would remain neutral, as this was the order of Police Regional Office 7 Director Debold Sinas.

“We are protecting not only politicians who are campaigning, but also the attendees or participants in political activities,” Abrugena said.

During the Operations Lawmen Awarding Ceremony, Davide led the awarding and the distribution of incentives to Abrugena and 130 cops from the police stations of Naga City, Bogo City, San Fernando, Minglanilla, Balamban, Borbon and the Provincial Intelligence Branch for their successful anti-narcotics operations.

CPPO seized 4,200 grams of shabu worth P47.4 million in 2018.

According to Carmen Remedios “Ivy” Durano, Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office executive director, Operations Lawmen was adopted from a Dangerous Drugs Board program which gives financial rewards to operatives in successful operations.

Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit chief, said the Capitol’s incentive encouraged him and his fellow law enforcers to go after drug personalities.