The chief of the newly reorganized Philippine National Police has begun zeroing in on the involvement of local government officials in the proliferation of illegal drugs in their own backyard.
PNP Chief Ronaldo dela Rosa said police have already identified mayors who also act as drug lords operating in their own jurisdiction.
With certain mayors linked to illegal drugs, Dela Rosa said they would designate new police chiefs in the city and municipal levels, a unilateral moved to avoid being influenced and persuaded by the LGUs into drug deals.
Under existing setup, mayors select their own police chiefs and seek approval from the Department of the Interior which has administrative control over the police. The PNP then would designate the police chief under the mayors’ supervision.
Dela Rosa said applying an entirely different policy in the designation of police chiefs is in accordance with Duterte’s out of the box strategy to prevent mayors from engaging in the illegal drug trade.
Certain mayors bankrolled by drug money won in the recent election and there were at least 32 of their kind, according to Duterte. He did not name these mayors.
Dela Rosa said the PNP would appoint chiefs of police that would not heed the call of the mayors.
He said the drug menace is now a national crisis that seriously needs an immediate solution.
Shortly after his assumption to office, Dela Rosa imposed a major revamp in the PNP affecting an initial 41 positions.
He also subjected ranking police officials to random drug testing to determine whether they are using illegal drugs.
“Many reshuffles will take place in the coming days and months mostly regional directors,” he declared.
Dela Rosa said he was considering jueteng as the next target of the PNP’s operations.
However, he said he has to finish the mission on drugs before embarking on another campaign.
“We cannot be fighting in all fronts simultaneously, otherwise “sabog ang ating focus”.
Dela Rosa said that if the drug campaign succeeds in 6 months at the most, then he will train his gun on illegal gambling.