Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa in a media interview at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net
MORE members of the police force are facing possible dismissal from service as the Philippine National Police chief, Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, announced on Monday afternoon that two more policemen were tested positive for illegal drug use out of 2,405 cops.
“The latest report of the Crime Laboratory is that the number of policemen positive for drugs rose to 11. As to who are these people and where they are from, we don’t know yet,” Dela Rosa said in an ambush interview at the PNP headquarters.
Once they test positive in the confirmatory test, Dela Rosa said he will order their dismissal immediately, stressing they have no place in the police organization.
Visibly upset, Dela Rosa said: “Nakakahiya, nakakagalit, nakakasuklam. Kayo ang tagapagpatupad ng batas, tapos kayo mismo nagbaba-violate, tapos kayo ang drug addict. Kayo dapat manghuhuli ng drug addict, hindi kayo dapat ang drug addict.”
Citing Republic Act 8551, or the act providing for the PNP’s reform and reorganization, Dela Rosa said a policeman is automatically considered unfit for service if he is found to have been using illegal drugs and substances.
“Napakawalang kwentang taong ganyan. They don’t deserve another day in office. Right away, didismiss ko ’yan,” he said.
Dela Rosa said that due process would still be followed in weeding out police misfits.
The random drug testing of 2,405 policemen nationwide started last July 1, with police generals and high-ranking officials voluntarily submitting their urine samples during a command conference at Camp Crame. All 75 officers present in the conference tested negative.
Dela Rosa, who is on a mission to fulfill his promise of reducing drug proliferation and criminality in six months, said it is alarming to hear that 11 policemen have been found to be using drugs.
“The PNP is 160,000-strong, 160,000 baka p…i… lalaki pa ’yang number na ’yan. Nakakatakot, marami pala tayong pulis na adik. It’s alarming,” he said.
Asked if drug users within the police ranks would be given a chance to be reinstated, he said: “No way. You have to go. This (President) Duterte administration has zero tolerance for drugs so I will dismiss you right away.”/ac