KILL ZONEA forensics investigator inspects the body of one of the alleged rogue police officers. —PHOTO FROM RMN ZAMBOANGA
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Barely 24 hours after President Rodrigo Duterte offered a P5-million reward for every dead rogue policeman, two police officers, tagged as drug pilferers, were killed in a drug bust operation in the village of Ayala here.
In Cagayan de Oro City, 16 police officers were luckier as they were just removed from their posts for failure to perform up to par to the President’s standards in his war on drugs.
In this city, PO3 Ronald Bernardo and PO2 Maria Oliver Olaso, both of station 9 of the city police, were killed during a raid by fellow policemen.
Recycle
“The two cops have been known to recycle ‘shabu’ (crystal meth),” said Chief Supt. Edwin de Ocampo, deputy regional Philippine National Police director for administration.
PO3 Ronald Bernardo —PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK
“After an operation, they don’t declare the actual volume of seized drugs,” De Ocampo said.
In a report, Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr., head of the PNP Counter Intelligence Task Force, said the officers were cornered in a buy bust operation and shot at their colleagues.
“Olaso and Bernardo fired upon (sic) our operatives, resulting in the armed confrontation and the death of both subjects,” Caramat said in the report.
Recovered at the scene were several sachets of shabu and two 9-mm pistols believed to be the two slain officers’ service firearms.
Sample
The killing of the two officers in Zamboanga City came hours after the President on Friday announced a P5-million bounty for each dead ninja policeman, the term referring to policemen or officers who pilfer seized drugs and sell these in the streets through couriers.
The President made the announcement in Davao City as he expressed exasperation over corruption cases involving government officials and police.
“You better shape up,” the President said, addressing himself to officials of government and police.
PO2 Maria Oliver Olaso —PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK
“ I will rise and fall on the issue of corruption,” he said.
Dead preferred
He said he would give P5 million to anyone who could bring him a dead ninja policeman.
“If you bring him alive, I will give P10,000 and kick you,” the President said.
He said he would set aside P50 million in intelligence funds for the war on corrupt and criminal policemen.
In Cagayan de Oro, the regional police announced the saking of 16 police chiefs in the five provinces of Caraga region because of poor performance in the war on drugs.
Poor performers
Chief Supt. Noli A. Romana, police regional director, said the relief of the officers was based on the recommendation by the police’s oversight committee on illegal drugs.
He said the sacked officers either had “none or low accomplishment” in the antidrug campaign in their areas.
“The cops failed to meet the requirements presented by the oversight committee on their anti-illegal drug operation,” said Romana.
Senior Supt. Jimili L. Macaraeg, acting deputy regional director for operations, said those sacked were the chiefs of police in the towns of Santiago, Las Nieves, Kitcharao and Magallanes in Agusan del Norte; the towns of Taganaan, Bacuag and San Francisco of Surigao del Norte; the towns of Cantilan, Marihatag, Cagwait and Madrid of Surigao del Sur and five chiefs of police in Dinagat Islands.
Romana warned other policemen to intensify the campaign against drugs and crimes or be sacked, too.
“All chiefs of police in our region are reminded to intensify their anti-criminality campaign, especially against illegal drugs, or they will face the same fate,” he said. —Julie Alipala, Frinston Lim and Eriwn Mascariñas