PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa attends the awarding ceremony for Chief Inspector Paulito Sabulao who single-handedly killed one of the riding-in-tandem suspects in Malate as seen on the viral video. RICHARD A. REYES
Once publicly identified by President Rodrigo Duterte, the 27 local executives allegedly linked to the illegal drugs trade may be stripped of their power over police units in their areas.
The Philippine National Police will recommend the withdrawal of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) deputation of the local officials, which gives them direct operational supervision and control over local police, Director General Ronald “Bato” De la Rosa said on Thursday.
READ: Duterte to name 27 local execs in drugs trade
De la Rosa said errant local executives “have no moral ascendancy to exercise supervision and control over the local police forces if they themselves are involved in drugs.”
Local officials who will not cooperate in the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the police will also lose power over the police under their jurisdiction.
On Monday, President Duterte’s legal counsel Salvador Panelo said the President would name local officials who have drug links based on intelligence reports.
Panelo said many were from the provinces belonging to prominent families. He said Duterte personally knew some of the officials.
Interior Secretary Mike Sueno also warned governors and mayors that they will be charged with neglect of duty if they would fail to address the problem of illegal drugs in their areas.
The PNP recently convened its national and regional oversight committees that will assess and evaluate the drug situation in cities and municipalities
Among those discussed were the documentation of pushers and users who surrendered and were arrested; internal cleansing efforts; Top 20 watch-list of drug personalities, killed or arrested; and local government executives and officials who are uncooperative in the campaign against illegal drugs. TVJ
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