THE peace and order committee of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Board will possibly call the attention of the police chief in the province to shed light on the renewed drug-related killings.
Committee board member Gerardo Sabal said they will recommend to Vice Governor Joey Pelaez the plan to summon Senior Superintendent Manuel Sukarno Alvarez, the provincial police director, to enlighten the august body about the deaths of drug suspects, who allegedly resorted to violence or "nanlaban" during the anti-illegal drug operations.
"Murag nakaabot na kana sa atensyon ni vice guv ug among i-recommend sa iya nga ipatawag si Alvarez para malamdagan kita sa hitabo karon sa probinsya (I think the issue caught the attention of vice governor. We recommend to summon Alvares to shed light on the happenings in our province)," Sabal said.
Sabal said he would also recommend to probe the alleged extrajudicial killings perpetrated by unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen.
Following the resumption of the police's Project Double Barrel Reloaded last March, a drug suspect was killed in Naawan town and two more were pinned down by authorities in the latest sting
operation in Villanueva, while two other drug personalities were killed by unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants in Tagoloan.
Sabal believed that law enforcers observed the standard operating procedure and police protocols during drug raids, even as he cautioned them to avoid as much as possible the unwanted killings.
He noted the large disparity between the numbers of drug-related killings and arrested drug suspects and surrenderers of the government's anti-illegal drug campaign "Oplan Tokhang" in Misamis Oriental province.
"Compared sa uban probinsya, mubo ra man atong killings ug mas dako ang ihap sa mga nag-surrender ug mga nadakpan (Compared to other provinces, our drug-related killings is lower than surrenderers and arrested drug suspects)," Sabal said.
Sabal said the police also hold their rights to self-defense when their lives are in danger. Thus, he urged the drug suspects not to fight back in the event of arrest.
"Atong hangyo sa atong mga kaigsoonan nga kung pwede putlon na ang pagbisyo anang droga kay walay maayong paingnan na sa kaugalingon (We urged everyone to stop their use of illegal drug)," Sabal added.