MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police is closely monitoring some 700 active and former police officers allegedly involved in the drug trade and other illegal activities, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said Wednesday.
Banac told INQUIRER.net that dismissed police officers and those on absent without official leave (AWOL) status are likewise being monitored.
The highest-ranked former officer on the watchlist as of September 30, 2019 is a colonel, said Banac.
“Even if you are already retired from the service or already out we have to continuously monitor them, because there may still be a possibility that they may be involved in illegal drugs,” he said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel, adding that the list includes those accused of extortion.
He added that police officers locked up at the New Bilibid Prison, where drug lords allegedly continue their nefarious ways are also being closely monitored.
22 active police officers allegedly recycling and selling seized illegal drugs or the so-called ninja cops are on the list, including a police major, Banac revealed.
Banac reported that 442 police officers involved in the drug trade have been dismissed from service since 2016.
319 of them tested positive for drug use, he added.
“In fact, in the last couple of months, we have seen surveillance videos of arrested rogue cops using illegal drugs themselves,” he added.
READ: War on drugs: PNP closely monitoring 22 ‘ninja cops’