Probe into Bacolod cops’ drug link to continue

MANILA — Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said that the investigation into the alleged drug links of relieved Bacolod police officers will continue despite their sacking.

At a press conference streamed by the PNP, Albayalde said that the investigation against Senior Superintendent Francis Ebreo and four other officers will continue so other law enforcement personnel who may be engaged in the illegal drug trade will be found.

“We are not closing the investigation because they are relieved already. There may be others involved in this... if this is true,” the police chief said.

Albayalde said that the PNP received information of Ebreo’s possible engagement in the illegal drug trade but their counter-intelligence personnel are still in the process of validating this.

"This came out just a few weeks back, just last week, before the president announced the relief of these people," Albayalde said in a mix of English and Filipino in a press conference.

Duterte sacked Ebreo and four other Bacolod cops last weekend.

“I’d like to know if the chief of police is here. If you are here, kindly stand up because you are fired as of this moment… In your involvement in drugs and making the people of Bacolod miserable, I am relieving and dismissing you from the service as of now, Senior Superintendent Francis Ebreo,” the president said in his speech at a private event. —