THE Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) is reshuffling its personnel of all anti-drug units after the arrest of a policeman due to his involvement in the illegal drug trade.
The ZCPO has a total of 14 anti-drug units as each of the 11 police stations has Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET). The other three included the City Drug Enforcement Unit and two mobile force units have one each.
Police Colonel Alexander Lorenzo, ZCPO director, on Friday, March 10, 2023, identified the arrested policeman as Master Sergeant Marlon Demaisip, the SDET chief of the ZCPO’s Station 7.
Lorenzo said Demaisip was caught in possession of some 30 grams of suspected shabu worth P204,000 on Thursday, March 9, while the latter was inside the office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Management Unit (CIDMU) of ZCPO.
Demaisip was invited to appear at CIDMU office to shed light on a rape case complaint filed by the wife of a drug suspect who was reportedly arrested by Demaisip’s team on Wednesday, March 8, at Sitio Talungon in San Roque village, Zamboanga City.
The complainant claimed that she was raped by one of Demaisip’s companions after she and her husband were abducted around 3 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, in Cabatangan village, Zamboanga City.
She claimed that she was allegedly raped by a certain Roy and with the knowledge of Demaisip.
Lorenzo said he is reviewing the rooster of the drug enforcement units of ZCPO to determine who among them will be replaced.
Lorenzo likewise tasked his intelligence chief to strengthen counter-intelligence and to submit report about the activities of the anti-drug personnel.
“They are dispensable. They are subject for reevaluation,” Lorenzo said.
He said that Demaisip is allegedly utilizing his civilian informants, which they call “assets or alpha” in the sale of illegal drugs.
Three of Demaisip’s informants were arrested in a buy-bust operation by joint police and Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency operatives Thursday morning in Cabatangan, Zamboanga City.
Seized from them were some 15 grams of suspected shabu worth P102,000, a caliber .45 pistol, a caliber .38 revolver, a replica of caliber 45 pistol, and other pieces of evidence. (SunStar Zamboanga)