FORMER Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa must stop the connivance between some personnel of the Bureau of Corrections and imprisoned high-profile drug lords to curb the illegal trade in drugs, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Sunday.
He made the statement after Dela Rosa stepped down as chief of police to head Corrections.
Lacson made his statement even as the new head of the Metro Manila Police, Camilo Cascolan, on Sunday appealed to the public for information that could help neutralize a Chinese drug syndicate.
Authorities last week seized millions of pesos worth of illicit drugs from the Dragon Wu syndicate’s alleged laboratory in Malabon and warehouse in Marikina.
In an interview on dzBB radio, Lacson said Dela Rosa was facing a “heavy” challenge once he assumed his new position at Corrections.
“The first thing that should be done there is to stop the connivance between the Corrections personnel and the drug lords in prison,” said Lacson, a former police chief.
“Once Bato solves the drug problem inside Muntinlupa, the impact there and on the anti-drug operation outside would be big.”
Dela Rosa had earlier vowed to end to the illegal drug trade in the national penitentiary.
“I will succeed, mark my words, I will succeed,” Dela Rosa said.
“I will not give you the details, but I tell you, mark my word, I will succeed.”
Lacson said while Dela Rosa had the passion to end the illegal drug trade, it was only 10 percent of the actual equation.
“How he does it is another matter. The mechanics, how to implement”•the 90 percent is there,” Lacson said.