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BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Thursday, March 2, 2017
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vILOILO City – Policemen here and in Iloilo province are ready to resume their campaign against illegal drugs.
The task groups against illegal drugs will be regrouped, according to Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director Senior Superintendent Harold Tuzon.
The task groups in all levels of the police (city, municipal, provincial, and regional) were disbanded after President Rodrigo Duterte temporarily suspended his administration’s drug war on Jan. 30, citing the corruption within the Philippine National Police (PNP). He then ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to spearhead the campaign.
On Feb. 28, however, Duterte announced he would again use policemen in the drive against illegal drugs.
The President said he ordered PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa to recruit young police officers who have no history of corruption for the renewed campaign.
Tuzon said his office has yet to receive an order from the PNP national headquarters when to formally resume the antidrug campaign.
Still, he clarified, “Kahit wala kaming authority to spearhead drug operations, hindi kami huminto ng aming campaign. We continued gathering information on drug suspects’ activities.”
Tuzon hinted that IPPO’s antidrug task groups may have new members.
“We have to screen them before putting them to the field to run after drug pushers,” said Tuzon.
In Malacañang, Duterte ordered Dela Rosa “to recruit young men in the PNP who are imbued with fervor of patriotism to be the members of (antidrug) task forces. Every (police) station should have one pero ‘yung piling-pili, iyung walang history of corruption.”
“We are ready to resume operations against illegal drugs once we receive an order from the higher command, but the internal cleansing in the PNP will continue,” said Senior Inspector Shella Mae Sangrines, spokesperson of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).
According to the President, since the PNP suspended its antidrug campaign, there has been a “20 percent” rise in drug activities.
Dela Rosa said policemen in the revitalized campaign against illegal drugs would be meticulously selected./PN
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