THE Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADA) awarded P1.644 million to 132 provincial police officers for their exemplary anti-drug operations in recent months.
One of the awardees is Minglanilla Police Chief Insp. Florendo Fajardo, who got entwined in the controversial raid of a cockfighting facility that allegedly framed the suspects as drug surrenderers.
The PNP Regional Office (PRO) 7 is now investigating the matter.
CPDAO Head Carmen Durano-Meca said higher PNP officials should investigate the raid, saying that the police must perform their anti-drug operation without any stain of controversy.
“Dili gyud ta uyon sa hinugaw nga trabaho. Ang atong katuyoan nga misuporta ta sa atong kapolisan ug ang atong gusto nga limpyo nga trabaho, as our intention to them is very sincere (We don’t condone dirty work. Our aim is to support the police and we want their work done properly),” Meca said.
Fajardo’s award was due to his leadership as chief Balamban police.
He begged off interviews on the investigation as what he agreed with Deputy Regional Director for Operations Rey Lyndon Lawas as they are still undergoing clarificatory hearing.
The CPADAO gave awards to 10 local police station and Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB). These are police stations in Pinamungajan, San Remigio, Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Balamban, Cordova and cities of Naga, Carcar and Danao.
Only place
Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Eric Noble said Cebu is the only place in the Philippines where the government give cash rewards to policemen performing well in anti-drug operations. He thanked Meca and CPADAO, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpoale and the Provincial Treasurer’s office.
He said Capitol has released around P10 million to the PNP this year as a reward in its anti-drug operations.
All 132 PNP personnel received P5,000 for station commanders and P3,000 for each police station operative.
“Ang nakakalungkot lang ay (What is sad is that) we lost a good officer,” referring to Catmon Police Chief Alexander Nuñez, who was shot dead while responding to an alarm.
In his 25 years in service, this is Noble’s saddest Christmas as this is his first time to lose a subordinate.
He spent his Christmas with the Nuñez family, saying, “I really need to comfort them.”
Noble denied that policemen are given quota, or a certain number of drug arrests, in line with PNP’s Oplan Double Barrel Alpha.
Quota
The quota compels PNP officers to double their anti-drug effort and those lagging behind will be dealt with accordingly.
He said Minglanilla is performing well in terms of anti-drug operations as there is no need for them to frame illegal cockfight suspects as surrenderers.
Minglanilla PNP arrested 80 persons in an illegal cockfight in Sitio Upper Linao, Bbarangay Lipata last Christmas day, and reportedly forced them to sign as drug surrenderers.
They were then released them after their bet money and cocks were confiscated.
One of those arrested and released after signing as surrenderers is Revo de Dios, the son of Caraga Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Roger de Dios.
The regional director sought the help of Lawas as his son was just selling softdrinks, cigarette and food near their house when he, too, was brought to the police station.
“Para nako naa gyud abuse, mao bitaw CPADAO program naay system una pa ta mobuhat (For me, there was really abuse, that’s why the CPADAO program has a system in place before making steps),” said Meca, who is hoping that these accusation is not true.
Lawas is now looking closely on the incident.