A TOTAL of 65 police officers, including two officials, assigned in Talisay City have been relieved from their posts on Sunday, September 2, due to allegations that some of them are involved in illegal drugs.
Police Regional Office (PRO)-Central Visayas director Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas made the announcement during an assembly held at the Talisay City Police Station on Sunday morning.
Aside from their relief, the 65 police officers were also required to undergo a drug test at the station.
Some of the police officers who were relieved from their posts were disappointed by Sinas' decision but they added that they have no choice but to follow orders.
During the assembly on Saturday, September 1, Sinas said he ordered the police officers' relief after President Rodrigo Duterte announced recently that majority of policemen assigned in Talisay City were involved in illegal drugs.
Including in those relieved were Police Inspectors Rene Cerna and Ronaldo Logrono, both serving as deputy police chiefs.
Only Superintendent Marlu Conag, the city police chief, was retained from his position.
Sinas said that the 65 police officers will be reassigned to PRO-Central Visayas office in Cebu City where they will undergo a 15-day moral recovery program and a four-month Enhanced Basic Internal Security Operations Course (EBISOC).
Sinas said after the police officers have underwent training, he will create an evaluation board to assess their performance.
"Kung talagang wala kayong involvement sa illegal drugs, then wala kayong problema kung i-ievaluate kayo (If you are not involved in illegal drugs, then you will have no problem when you will be evaluated.)," Sinas said.
But he cannot assure if the police officers will be able to return to Talisay City after their retraining.
Sinas also announced that eight investigators of the station will also undergo investigation after they received word that they reportedly withheld evidence in big-time drug cases that the local police were handling.
He has ordered all investigators to turn over all of their case folders to the regional headquarters so that they can be properly assessed.
If found guilty, the eight officers will face administrative and criminal charges, Sinas said.
Following the relief of the 65 police officers, 69 personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) also arrived in Talisay City to serve as their replacement.
Chief Inspector Ardiolito Cabagnot, who leads the RMFB company, has been appointed by Sinas as Conag's new deputies.
Sinas said he has instructed the new police officers assigned in Talisay City to lead by example.
Senior Superintendent Manuel Abrugena, Cebu Provincial Police director, said it was unfortunate that the personnel from Talisay had to be relieved, but it was necessary to quell allegations that some of them were involved in illegal activities.
Some of the police officers who were relieved said it was unfair that all of them were subjected to retraining due to some bad apples.
"Nanarbaho baya mig tarung. Kung naa man untay badlungon, siya nalang unta dili kamin tanan," said one officer, who refused to identify himself.
But the officer said despite what happened to them, it's part and parcel of being a policeman.
In an interview, Cabagnot said it will be a challenge for him and his personnel to adjust to a police station setting, especially that majority of them have Police Officers 1 and 2 ranks and have no experience working for a police station.
Cabagnot also admitted that their new assignment will be a challenge especially that Talisay City has a perennial illegal drug problem.
Conag, on the other, hopes that with a new set of police officers assigned to him, more intensity will be felt in their ongoing war against illegal drugs. (JKV)