Crash delays submission of probe results on narcocops

MANILA, Philippines — Last week’s helicopter crash, where Philippine National Police chief Archie Gamboa and seven other top police officials were hurt, has delayed the submission of the results of the adjudication of some 300 alleged narcocops.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, however, assured the public that the findings of the PNP national adjudication board would be submitted to President Duterte within the week.

In a message to reporters on Sunday Año said that the PNP had not submitted to him the results of the adjudication of the 357 policemen included in Mr. Duterte’s narcolist.

“We need to prioritize the condition of the police officials in the helicopter crash. There was, of course, a bit of delay because of it,” he pointed out.

A Bell 429 helicopter carrying Gamboa and seven other police officials crashed on Thursday last week shortly after taking off from the PNP highway patrol group’s impounding area in San Pedro City.

PNP comptroller Police Maj. Gen. Jose Maria Ramos and Police intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Mariel Magaway remain in critical condition because of the mishap.

Prior to the crash, Gamboa had said that he intended to submit the findings of the PNP national adjudication board to the interior secretary on March 7 before submitting the results to Mr. Duterte.

“Maybe within the week it (results) will be submitted,” Año said.

The PNP national adjudication board, headed by deputy chief for administration Police Lt. Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan, was tasked to investigate 357 policemen included in Mr. Duterte’s narcolist.

Of the 357 policemen on the list, 15 have opted for early retirement, 43 were declared absent without official leave and one was killed in a shooting incident, which left the national adjudication board to probe 298 PNP personnel still in active service.

The remaining 298 policemen includes Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, considered among the top enforcers of Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs, who has maintained his innocence and attributed his inclusion in the narcolist to politicians out to discredit him.