MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said Bacolod City police chief Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, whom he recently fired along with four other police officials, is a drug lord protector.
“He might not be in the (drug) trafficking business but he (Ebreo) was really a protector,” Duterte told reporters in an interview in Malacañang.
The President made the remark after announcing the sacking of Ebreo and four other police officers for allegedly allowing the proliferation of the illegal drugs trade in the city.
READ: Duterte fires Bacolod police chief, 4 other cops
Duterte also tagged Bacolod City Councilor Ricardo ‘Cano’ Tan, citing intelligence reports from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Duterte noted that Ebreo and one of his deputies visited Tan who was wounded in an ambush last year.
He added that the police officials even provided a security detail for Tan.
“There was this, si (Ricardo) Cano (Tan), a Councilor, (he) has been tagged by the PDEA almost a decade ago to be engaged in (drug) trafficking, na ambush,” Duterte said.
“There were about 3 ambushes before that incident na pumunta sila (Ebreo) sa hospital, silang dalawa ng Deputy niya. What’s (their?) fu***** business going to the hospital of (an ambushed drug lord?) Tapos nag iwan pa sila ng dalawang security,” he added.
Tan and his wife survived an ambush in Barangay Alangilan, Bacolod City last December 2018.
READ: Bacolod councilor, wife survive ambush
During his recent speech at the birthday party of Leo Rey Yanson, chief executive officer of Vallacar Transit, at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod, Duterte said: “In your involvement in drugs and making the people of Bacolod miserable, I am relieving and dismissing you from the service as of now, Senior Superintendent Francis Ebreo.”
Duterte then announced the dismissal of four other police officials.
“Then you have Superintendent Tayuan… And Superintendent Yatar… And there is Victor Paulino, police SI… Macapagal, you are out,” he said. /gsg