President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday announced the internal review of police officials for possible links to illegal drugs will be concluded in two weeks.
He noted the review conducted by a 5-man committee took some time to ensure the results of the review will be “just and fair.”
“It’s a very complicated system, and it’s a very complicated situation. We cannot take action on the basis of rumours,” Marcos said during the 1st Joint National Peace and Order Council (NPOC) and Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting in Malacañang last Tuesday.
The President said he wants a mechanism to be put in place to hold accountable the police officials, who will be proven to be involved in illegal drugs.
Last January, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. urged high-ranking police officers to file their courtesy resignation to give way for the review.
A total of 943 police colonels and generals filed their resignation in response to the appeal.
The outcome of the review will determine which of the officials will be retained in the service.
Marcos stressed the importance of ridding the Philippines National Police (PNP) of its unscrupulous officials to ensure the success of the country’s campaign against illegal drugs.
He urged the peace and order councils to address illegal drugs, loose firearms, and “warlordism” within their jurisdiction to help maintain local peace and order.
Many incidents of violence, he said, can be attributed to political violence as well as drug syndicates.
“It stems from the territorial fights over areas where drugs are distributed, who controls the drug trade in that area,” Marcos said.
During the NPOC and RPOC meeting, concerned government agencies reported a total of 261,642 anti-illegal drug operations conducted from 2016 to 2022.
This resulted in the arrest of 376,582 drug personalities and the seizure of 12 tons of marijuana, 14 tons of shabu, 190,324 pieces of ecstasy, and 500 kilograms of cocaine.
The NPOC and RPOC event aims to help the government in its peace and order policy decisions.
Image credits: PNA