PRO-6 relieves 62 cop chiefs in W. Visayas

ILOILO CITY — Politics has nothing to do with the relief of 62 chiefs of police in Western Visayas, an official of the Police Regional Office-6 said yesterday.

Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesperson, said the 62 police chiefs failed to reach their targets in illegal drugs. “They underperformed in our campaign against illegal drugs, as stipulated in Project Double Barrel,” he said.

By quota, a town or city police station must conduct three positive anti-illegal drug operations from July 1 to August 31. “But sadly, majority of these police stations failed to deliver based on our twomonth assessment,” Gorero said.

Records from PRO-6 showed that 22 out of 43 police chiefs in Iloilo province were relieved from their posts. Others were in Aklan, 14 out of 17; Antique (13 out of 18); Capiz (10 out of 18); and Guimaras (three out of five).

However, Gorero clarified that their relief was not a punishment, and that they would just be reshuffled to other areas in the province. “Often times, familiarity breeds contempt. Maybe, if they would be assigned to a different playing field, then they could deliver better,” he said.

Gorero said the personnel movement is more of a strategy to re-invigorate their anti-illegal drugs campaign in Western Visayas. Provincial police directors were also expected to implement the reshuffling starting yesterday, he said.

Gorero said there might be a police chief who would raise the issue that they failed to reach the target because of non-existent of drug pushers in their area. “This is where the barangay anti-drug abuse council (BADAC) or municipal anti-drug abuse council (MADAC) would come in. They could certify that their area is drug-free,” he said.

But so far, no MADAC had attested so far that a particular town is drug-free. “The number of drug surrenderees under Oplan Tokhang could also signify that there’s more to be done as far as illegal drugs is concerned,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gorero said PRO-6 would make another round of assessment two months later. “Those who still fail to deliver would again be booted out of their post, he added.