An official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday that they are currently in the process of checking whether there are other police generals who are involved in the illegal drugs trade or are protecting drug lords following the exposé made by President Rodrigo Duterte.
READ: Duterte names top cops allegedly involved in illegal drugs trade
In a Radyo Inquirer interview, PNP Spokesperson SSupt. Dionardo Carlos said that once they validate the information given to them, members of the police force who turn out to be drug lord coddlers will be meted with the corresponding penalties.
“Continuous po ‘yung checking and validation so kung mayroon pa hong lulutang na mga pangalan na sila po ay validated na involved o tumatanggap po sa illegal na droga, then ‘yung atin pong PNP ay hahabulin po sila,” Carlos said.
(Our checking and validation is continuous, so if there are still more names that will surface that are validated to be involved or receiving illegal drugs, then our PNP will pursue them.)
Carlos said that once they gather enough evidence to investigate the police officers involved in illegal drugs, the PNP will “neutralize” their illicit acts.
“[Once] ma-validate po ito with enough evidence, then mag-proceed po tayo para ma-control o ma-neutralize po yung kanilang ilegal na ginagawa,” he said.
(Once this is validated with enough evidence, then we will proceed to control or neutralize their illegal activities.)
PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has earlier said that he has a list of police officers—“from PO1 to generals”—who “accept protection money from drug lords” and “recycle drugs.”
READ: ‘Bato’ to cops coddling drug lords: Surrender in 48 hours or die
In his speech during the 69th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force on Tuesday, Duterte exposed five police generals who are allegedly linked to drugs: Police Director Joel Pagdilao, Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio, Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz and retired generals Marcelo Garbo and Vicente Loot, now the mayor of Daanbantayan, Cebu.
Pagdilao, Tinio, and Diaz faced Dela Rosa on Wednesday to clear their names. With a report from Paul Xavier Jaehwa C. Bernardo, INQUIRER.net trainee/JE