Sen. Raffy Tulfo Senate PRIB file photo / Bibo Nueva España
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Raffy Tulfo is proposing a limited tour of duty for agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to avoid familiarity that may lead to possible collusion with drug syndicates.
According to Tulfo, if an agent is on unlimited duty in areas penetrated with illegal drugs, he/she will eventually become a drug pusher.
“Dapat PNP and PDEA, ili-limit n’yo po ‘yung tour of duty. Kasi nga po, halimbawa ‘yung isang PDEA agent o pulis na operative, ilalagay mo diyan sa isang lugar na drug-infested, papatagalin mo diyan, babad siya hanggang 10 years, later on, magiging drug pusher na rin po ‘yan because of familiarity,” Tulfo explained during the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs hearing on Wednesday.
(PNP and PDEA should limit your tour of duty. Because, for instance, a PDEA agent or police operative has been working in a drug-infested area for a long time, like 10 years, later on, he/she will become a drug pusher because of familiarity.)
“Hanggang sa bandang huli siya ay masasama na rin du’n sa mga ginagawa ng mga loko-loko. Therefore, dapat i-limit po ‘yung tour of duty,” he added.
(In the end, he will be allies of erring individuals. Therefore, limit the tour of duty.)
Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, panel chairperson and former PNP chief, agreed with Tulfo’s suggestion.
“I agree with that. That’s a nice proposition,” Dela Rosa said.
PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo told the senators that heeding Tulfo’s proposal is “possible.”
Aside from a limited tour of duty, Tulfo believes that regular random drug testing and lifestyle checks among PDEA and PNP agents would prevent the operatives from dipping their hands into illegal drug activities.
The panel is looking into PDEA’s practice of paying informants 30 percent of confiscated illegal narcotics.
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