PNP: No proof top officials into drugs

SO WHO AMONG THEM ARE CORRUPT? Amid allegations by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte that three high-ranking police officials are corrupt, policemen attend Monday’s flag ceremony at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. NIÑO JESUSORBETA

The outgoing chief of the Philippine National Police on Monday shrugged off President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s allegations that three “police generals” were involved in corruption or illegal drugs.

PNP Director General Ricardo Marquez told reporters that an investigation had been in progress even before Duterte told his supporters at a thanksgiving party on Saturday in Davao City that corruption in the police ranks should stop and that he was asking three “generals” assigned at headquarters to resign.

“We have not seen any evidence that will support the information of the involvement of active generals [in illegal drugs],” Marquez said in an interview after the weekly flag-raising ceremonies at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

“We had raw information before, and as a matter of fact, we deployed special teams of the anti-illegal drugs group in the Visayas, but until now, the work is in progress,” he added.

On Saturday, Duterte warned: “Corruption must stop. I would have to ask … three generals in Crame to resign. Do not wait for me to name you in public because I will only humiliate you.”

In February, the Davao City mayor said that he knew of at least three high-ranking PNP officials involved in illegal drugs.

No PNP official could be asked to resign, Marquez pointed out. “We have a process that we need to follow for dismissal,” he said.

‘Internal cleansing’

Marquez said the PNP’s “aggressive” campaign against illegal drugs had always involved “internal cleansing” of the ranks.

“It’s one of the major deliverables of an organization. Whenever we receive a report or text message, the usual routine is to validate it” before launching operations against the suspects, he said.

On Saturday, Duterte also offered a bounty and urged civilians to arrest and even kill drug traffickers, should they fight back.

Asked for comment, Marquez urged the public to wait for Duterte’s “official pronouncements” once he assumed the presidency.

“Every administration has its own ways. So I leave it to the incoming PNP chief on what he would do,” referring to Chief Supt. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

No payoffs

Marquez, who is to retire in August, said he was taking pride in what the PNP antidrug campaign had accomplished under his watch.

“Despite the fact that we were busy with elections the last four and a half months,” he said, “we have accounted for more than 18,000 drug personalities and confiscated 500 kilograms of ‘shabu’ (methamphetamine hydrochloride).”

During a visit in Zamboanga City on Friday, Marquez referred to Duterte’s statement that some police officials received payoffs from their subordinates.

“I heard that the regional director gives money to the chief PNP. It never happened to me. I never asked any centavo from any regional director. If I do command visits, I pay for my food, I pay for my hotel room,” said Marquez, a 1982 graduate of the Philippine Military Academy.

Faithful to the badge

Marquez attended the retirement ceremony for Chief Supt. Miguel Antonio, who had served as Western Mindanao police director since 2015. Named as officer in charge was Chief Supt. Billy Beltran.

Duterte’s statements about police corruption have somewhat shaken some agencies, but Marquez said it did not bother him because he knew that he had not done anything wrong.

Marquez vouched for the integrity of top PNP officials that he had posted as regional directors, saying they could not be bribed.

“You cannot buy them,” he said, adding that he had not tolerated scalawags in the organization.

“If they are involved in crime, we investigate. We will dismiss them from service, they don’t deserve to stay any minute further in the service,” he said.

Marquez said that unknown to many, as he chose not to publicize it, the PNP had continuously purged its ranks of erring personnel.

“A lot of people had been discharged, we dismissed a lot. Many are still under surveillance, cases were being built up so we can file airtight cases against them. It’s been there, part of what we have been doing and we  always remind our policemen, always be faithful to the badge you wear,” he said. With a report from Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao