14 policemen relieved as probe on illegal drugs continues

BACOLOD CITY—Fourteen policemen in Hinigaran town in Negros Occidental province were relieved from their posts on suspicion that they were involved in the illegal drug trade.

Chief Insp. Gary Alan Resuma, Hinigaran police chief, said 10 were sent to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao regional police office while the rest were assigned to the Negros Occidental provincial police office effective Nov. 28.

Resuma said 10 of those relieved are investigators, intelligence and operations personnel and members of the anti-illegal drugs unit.

Mayor Nadie Arceo appealed on behalf of the 10 policemen to reassign them to nearby areas and not in Mindanao.

But Senior Supt. William Señoron, Negros Occidental police director, said he or officials of the Negros Island Region police could not do anything because the relief order came from the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.

“We have no choice but to implement the order,” Señoron said.

The latest relief order brought to 28 the number of policemen from Negros Occidental who were reassigned either to Mindanao or northern Luzon after they were linked to the illegal drug trade.

“If the relieved policemen are cleared … there is a possibility that they may be returned to their assignments in the province,” he added. —CARLA P. GOMEZ