Use good judgment, discernment in drive vs illegal drugs

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde yesterday advised police officers to exercise good judgment and be discerning in implementing the war against illegal drugs.

Albayalde issued the advice after President Duterte announced that he would reward police officers who would kill their superiors who are involved in illegal drugs.

He said the President’s reward should not be used as motivation to neutralize police officials linked to the drug trade.

“We advised our men to exercise discernment and good judgement on the issue and we don’t encouraged them to be motivated by the President’s reward promise to neutralize anybody. We told them that if they see or know that a fellow officer is involved in something illegal, they should first gather evidence to prove it,” Albayalde said in Filipino.

The PNP chief said there is no connection between this week’s ambush of two policemen in Quezon City and the announcement of the President.

Supt. Edgardo Cariaso of the PNP-Internal Affairs Service was wounded in an attack near his home in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City on Thursday night.

The night before, Police Officer 3 Rufino Gabis was shot on Kalayaan Avenue in Barangay Malaya by motorcycleriding men.

Both Cariaso and Gabis have been accused of involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Albayalde defended Duterte’s statement about the reward, saying the President probably uttered it “out of anger or frustration” after having been informed about ranking police officials’ involvement in illegal drug activities.