SENIOR Superintendent William Señoron, acting director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), said on Tuesday that somebody wants him out by dragging his name in the issue of illegal drugs.
Señoron was emotional when he faced the media in a press conference at the Nocppo headquarters in Bacolod City on Tuesday.
He said that “drugs is not the issue here but (it is) simply a cover-up,” claiming that somebody wanted him to be relieved from his post and transferred elsewhere.
Señoron said those who are clearly not pleased with his presence in the province wanted to boot him out or see him fall.
Señoron’s name was mentioned in the sworn statement of drug suspect Ricky Serenio, who claimed that Superintendent Maharlika Oscar Villasis, former head of Regional Special Operations Task Group of Police Regional Office (PRO)-Negros Island Region, allegedly asked for P1 million protection money from the Berya drug group, P200,000 of which was supposedly for Señoron.
The Nocppo chief said he’s been the “subject of lies, innuendoes and baseless accusations being peddled by a self-confessed asset of Berya drug group,” whom he claimed had become or had allowed himself to be transformed into somebody else’s mad dog.
“I categorically deny Serenio’s accusations,” Señoron said, claiming that all of which have no shade of truth.
Señoron said Serenio should be placed under the custody of higher police authorities for him to talk freely without any pressure.
He added that if he will be relieved due to the said issue, he is willing to be reassigned anywhere.
“I am staking my career on the line and I am willing to resign from the service and waive my right to all the benefits due me for the service I have rendered during the last three decades if Serenio can show proof of his allegations against me,” Señoron added.
"Not alarming"
Señoron said the problem of illegal drugs in Negros Occidental is not alarming.
He noted that 502 barangays are drug-affected among the 601 barangays in the province.
Only 99 barangays are not drug-affected, he added.
“It only shows that we are doing something to eradicate illegal drugs in the province compared to others with 100 percent drug affected barangays,” Señoron said.
He added that Negros Occidental was even the first to conduct a drug summit among village chiefs to tap their assistance in the anti-drug campaign.
Señoron, however, pointed out that illegal drugs are still rampant in Hinigaran town and San Carlos City, but they are already in the process of clearing both localities.
Chiefs of police continue to conduct drug bust operations, he added.
Señoron presented to the media the data that showed the accomplishment of the province against illegal drugs.
From January 1 to December 31, 2016, the NOCPPO arrested 941 drug personalities, 643 of which were pushers and 294 were users.
Nocppo also has 11, 657 drug surrenderers from July 1 to December 31, 2016.
Arrested within the said six-month period were 414 suspects. Seven were killed in legitimate police operations.
Nocppo recorded 565 police operations, with 394 drug busts, 58 search warrants, 40 warrants of arrest, and 73 other operations.