Probe on 357 police officers on drugs watchlist to start

DUE PROCESS. PNP Chief Archie Gamboa says those found innocent will be removed from the list, while a case buildup will be conducted against those proven to be involved in the illegal drug trade.  (SUNSTAR FILE)
DUE PROCESS. PNP Chief Archie Gamboa says those found innocent will be removed from the list, while a case buildup will be conducted against those proven to be involved in the illegal drug trade. (SUNSTAR FILE)

OVER 300 policemen, including a one-star general, will undergo investigation beginning Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, over their alleged involvement in illegal drugs, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa said.

In a television interview, Gamboa said the 357 policemen are on the illegal drugs watchlist of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The highest-ranking officer is a brigadier general, or a one-star general.

Gamboa said those who will be found innocent will be removed from the list, while a case buildup will be conducted against those who will be proven to be involved in the illegal drugs trade.

The PNP chief declined to divulge the identities of the policemen, but said most of them already reported to his office on Friday, Feb. 7, pending the start of the “verification” on them on Monday.

“I hope the public would not mind for me not to supply more details... I would like to protect their identity because as of yet, they are presumed innocent,” Gamboa said.

He said they are hoping to finish the adjudication and validation process within a month.

“Two levels. The first level will be regional, national support unit, or directorial staff adjudication boards where they will be heard one week. Then for the next three weeks, they will be passed on to the National Adjudication Board, which will be headed by the deputy chief PNP for administration,” said Gamboa.

Gamboa said the result of the investigation will be presented to Duterte.

The top cop said the conduct of such investigation is part of his promise to Duterte to cleanse the PNP of erring personnel.

In September 2019, the PNP placed 762 police officers suspected of being involved in illegal drug activities under tight monitoring.

The list was drawn by the PNP’s Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), which was created in February 2019 to monitor scalawags in police ranks.

The IMEG replaced the two-year-old Counter-intelligence Task Force (CITF) to serve as the primary unit for information gathering and the conduct of offensives against PNP personnel involved in illegal activities.

The CITF was created after Duterte ordered the PNP, then under the leadership of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, to weed out erring cops and to stop them from participating in illegal drugs operations following the involvement of several police officers in the kidnapping and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo.

As of October 2019, more than 2,800 PNP personnel had been dismissed while more than 6,300 others were meted with administrative sanctions since 2016 as part of the organization’s internal cleansing program. (SUNSTAR PHILIPPINES)

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