Antidrug teams with ugly record get 2nd chance in QC

MANILA, Philippines–Station-level anti-illegal drugs units are back in Quezon City, more than a year after these were scrapped following complaints about corrupt and inept personnel.

A letter of instruction signed on Oct. 21 by the new Quezon City Police District (QCPD) head, Senior Supt. Joel Pagdilao, sets operational guidelines for the reactivation of the Station Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Task Group (SAID-SOTG), starting with seminars on Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Last year, Pagdilao’s predecessor, Chief Supt. Richard Albano, deactivated the anti-illegal drugs units in the 12 police stations under QCPD and centralized the duties under the District Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (DAID-SOTG).

In a phone interview, DAID-SOTG head Senior Insp. Roberto Razon said the deactivation happened in May, after the QCPD received numerous complaints from citizens about SAID personnel.

“Some were accused of ‘bangketa’ [case-fixing] and turning a blind eye to drug peddlers, or downgrading nonbailable offenses to bailable offenses, or for not following procedures,” Razon said.

In his letter of instruction, however, Pagdilao noted that there was a recent clamor from barangays (villages) to bring back the SAID, as the local officials complained of increased drug use but fewer arrests because “they have lost their partners at the grassroots level in anti-illegal drugs operation.”

The clamor came to light in August, when barangay officials complained to Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte that the DAID was insufficient to respond to the illegal drugs problems at the barangay level. The Office of the Vice Mayor oversees the city’s Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council.

In the letter, Pagdilao said the “QCPD shall intensely implement and monitor the operations of the SAID-SOTG … and eliminate chances of corruption and the concept of bangketa, with the end view of reducing street-pushing and [achieving] a high conviction rate.”

In an interview, Pagdilao reiterated that the reactivated SAID would have a stronger checks-and-balance system.

“First, the selected personnel should have integrity. They should have no records. Second, we will strictly implement the pre-operation report, which should include the involved personnel and what equipment they would use, and should be approved by the district and the PDEA [Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency]. We will also strictly implement post-operation procedures,” he said.

Pagdilao expressed hopes reduced drug use would lead to reduced crimes.

The QCPD DAID-SOTG and the Vice Mayor’s office will be hosting the launching of seminars for SAID personnel on Tuesday. Each station is to be assigned at least four SAID personnel.