CV cops ready to return to drug war

The police are back in the frontlines in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs and the Police Regional Office (PRO) - 7 said it is ready to resume work.

"It will improve. Karon nga nakapahuway na ang police. There is a good point to start," said PRO-7 spokesman, Supt. Reyman Tolentin.

He said the PNP has successfully cleaned its ranks of scalawags.

Two months ago, President Rodrigo Duterte spared the PNP from the drug war owing to controversies involving policemen during anti-drug operations. The government itself has received massive criticism over alleged extrajudicial killings.

Recently, however, the president signed a memorandum allowing the police to "actively support" the campaign again.

"Amo na i-deny for the part of the PNP kay walay igong ebidensya. Kung muingon ta measures, what we have done it is only internal cleansing just to promote services nga tinuoray gyud ni amoa," Tolentin said.

“It wouldn't be as bloody kay naa na man ta mga lessons learned and we don't want to promote the idea nga police bloody kaayo," he added.

Tolentin said this means the police will be able to initiate operations on top of intelligence gathering. Drug enforcement units will also be revived, he said.

"Dili pa kaya sa PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) kay kulang sila personnel. Ang publiko, nagclamor gyud sa PNP kay mulihok ang PNP and naa'y igong personnel para magtubag sa anti-drug operations," Tolentin said.

PDEA will remain the lead agency in the drug war, he clarified.

"Drug problem is a very big problem. Kung mas marami magtrabaho laban dito, mas madali. Mas marami manghuhuli sa mga involved sa illegal drugs. PDEA, as of now, has only around 1200 agents nationwide,” he said.

PDEA, for its part, welcomed the PNP's return to the operation.

“Unang una nga po, yung kakulangan ng manpower. Di po talaga namin maaksyunan mga reklamo agad agad kasi nga po wala po kami mailagay na tao sa municipal level. Very glad po kami na pwede na ulit ang pulis na magoperate against drugs. We welcome that development," said PDEA-7 Director Emerson Margate.

Before the PNP got sidelined in the drug war, the police in Central Visayas visited 1,174,148 houses in 8,724 operations. During these operations, 123,417 people surrendered; 13,500 were arrested; and 228 died.

The police also confiscated illegal drugs amounting to 49,597.88 grams worth P585,254,984.

The operations were conducted from July 1, 2016 to January 30, 2017 and March 1, 2017 to October 10, 2017.

PALMA

Yesterday, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the Church supports the thrust of government to curb the problem of illegal drugs but not the methods deemed questionable.

“How we wish that those in the proper authority would really determine which way is the most effective and what (is the) best approach towards war on drugs,” Palma said.

“Even before, we were saying we support the intention (of the government's drug campaign) but we have questions as regards approaches and the manner (of handling the operations),” he added.

Palma said the initiative should be studied thoroughly since it is a “serious” one.

More than focusing on arrest, he suggested that government also into underlying concerns like the treatment of drug dependents.

Palma took a swipe on Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Dionisio Santiago who described the mega-drug treatment and rehabilitation center in Nueva Ecija as a “mistake” and “impractical”.

Santiago said earlier that the money used to building the center could have been used to fund smaller communitybased programs that are proven to be more effective.

“It's how serious we are with the drug rehab programs… (there is) one in Nueva Ecija that has become a controversy since they have constructed a building but has not agreed on what is the appropriate thing to do,” Palma said.

“The whole idea is what is the best thing to do with those who want to change but and are now in the (drug) list but are not yet given the opportunity to be subjected to rehab programs,” he added.