TWO policemen of the Davao del Norte Provincial Police Office (DNPPO) tested positive for use of illegal drugs during a surprise drug test a few weeks ago.
DNPPO chief of Police Community Relation (PCR) Superintendent Panfilo Cañete said during the AFP-PNP Presscon on Wednesday at The Royal Mandaya that their office is now focusing on intensifying their efforts on internal cleansing, thus, they conducted a surprise drug test in the last two weeks.
He said their intelligence unit has gathered information from people and recommended 19 law enforcers to undergo drug test out of over 1,000 personnel. Of this figure, two were tested positive of illegal drugs.
“We use our intelligence to monitor the activities of the police then kung sino yong parang may inclination, we confirm the information if they are involved in illegal activities like drugs so we subject them to drug test,” he said.
When asked about the identity of the officers, Cañete refused to divulge their names to protect their families but he said that they are under DNNPO and were assigned in different municipalities and police stations.
According to him, the filing of the appropriate charges is already underway but the officers were temporarily assigned at the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao while their cases are still being heard but it could possibly result to dismissal from police service.
The Compostela Valley Provincial Police Office (CVPPO) has also undertaken initiatives in cleansing their ranks against scalawag cops in support to the nationwide drive to eradicate officers who are abusing their positions and other unlawful activities that would demoralized the morale of the whole organization.
Superintendent Jay Dema-ala, chief of Operating Officer of CVPPO said that they have already started the implementation of the mandate of the President last Monday during the flag raising ceremony.
He said they first did the checking of the dress code of the police officers whether they are wearing expensive jewelries or owning gadgets and watches.
They are also looking at their properties such as the vehicles if it is already registered and whether they are licensed to drive. After which, they will also monitor the lifestyle of the police officers based on their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN), and will look into their businesses to verify if these are coming from legal means.
Dema-ala said they have not recorded any of their personnel involved in illegal drug trade.