8 PNP execs in W. Visayas face admin cases for drug link

ILOILO CITY—Eight more police officials in the Western Visayas region, who were included on President Duterte’s list of government workers linked to the illegal drug trade, are facing administrative complaints in the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

Complaints for conduct unbecoming of a police officer have been filed by a Napolcom investigation team in the Napolcom regional office against Supt. Ipil Dueñas, former intelligence officer of the Iloilo City police, and Supt. Ronald Gepana, former chief of the regional police intelligence unit.

Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz and Superintendents Noel Lamsis, Richard Gomboc and Roderick Condag and Chief Inspectors Vicente Vicente and Kenneth Ray Militar have been charged with incompetence and gross neglect of duty.

De la Paz is former Guimaras provincial police director and former chief of the directorial staff of the Negros Island Region Police Office, while Lamsis is former chief of the antiillegal drugs task force in Antique province. Gomboc was assigned in the regional police office while Vicente and Condag were under the Iloilo provincial police. Militar is former chief of the Molo district police station in Iloilo City.

Last month, administrative complaints were also filed by the Napolcom against four police officials who had been linked to the illegal drug trade.

They were among the 19 policemen in Western Visayas named by the President as suspected protectors of the illegal drug trade, an allegation that the police officers had repeatedly denied.

Napoleon Arostique, chief of the technical services division of the Napolcom in Western Visayas, said the complaints against six others had been dismissed for lack of jurisdiction because these officials had retired from the service.

Arostique said those charged would be allowed to present evidence to refute the charges in a summary dismissal hearing of the Napolcom.