Duterte names 5 PNP generals allegedly involved in illegal drugs

 philstar.com  July 5, 2016 — Patricia Lourdes Viray and Camille Diola

Here are quick profiles of the officials tagged by the president.

Bernardo Diaz

Chief Superintendent Bernardo Diaz was appointed director of Police Regional Office 6 of Western Visayas by then PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina in June 2015. He replaced Josephus Angan who was retiring from service. Before the appointment, Diaz was deputy director of the Cagayan Valley Police Office. In April this year during the campaign period, Diaz was among the four police officials allegedly seen in the company of men linked to Liberal Party presidential candidate Mar Roxas. Diaz called the allegations malicious. Last week, Diaz was among the casualties of the PNP revamp led by newly appointed Director General Roland “Bato” Dela Rosa.

Marcelo Garbo

Former PNP deputy director general Marcelo Garbo Jr. retired in March after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 years old. Garbo was a contender for the PNP top post after the resignation of former PNP chief Alan Purisima but former President Benigno Aquino appointed Ricardo Marquez. Garbo openly supported the presidential bid of Liberal Party’s Mar Roxas. Last April, four police generals in active service were seen in the company of Garbo and a staff of Roxas. The police generals may face charges of electioneering or violation of the PNP ethical standards for meeting with Roxas supporters. Cerbo belongs to the Philippine Military Academy Class ’84, where Roxas was adopted as a mistah or classmate.

Vicente Loot

Retired police general Vicente “Vic” Loot was elected as mayor of Daanbantayan, Cebu in the May 9 elections. Loot won over former Mayor Augusto Corro by a slim margin of seven votes. This prompted Corro to file an electoral protest against Loot. The Daanbantayan mayor retired from the PNP on July 2015 after serving the police force for 37 years. He last held a directorship post at the PNP Training Service.

Joel Pagdilao

National Capital Regional Police Office Director Joel Pagdilao served as Quezon City Police District director before taking over as Metro Manila police chief. Pagdilao was among the four police generals who were not given specific assignments since new PNP chief Rosa took command last week. Along with Cerbo, Pagdilao was also seen in the company of Roxas at a hotel in Quezon City. He also belongs to PMA Class ’84.

Edgardo Tinio

Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio was director of the Quezon City Police District just two weeks ago reported hundreds of individuals confessing to the use and sale of illegal drugs a few days before Duterte assumed office. Tinio said the surrender of the suspects was through Oplan Katok, an operation wherein cops worked with barangay officials to win over residents linked to the drug trade. He was named chief of Quezon City police in July 2015, before which he was director of Pampanga police. He was also assigned at the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in South Luzon.

As of press time, Diaz, Loot and Tinio have denied the allegations of the president in connection to their involvement in illegal drug trade.

35 local execs involved in drugs, Duterte tells solons

Bato Dela Rosa to 35 mayors involved in drug trade: You will be treated like ordinary criminals (Kicker Daily News)

MANILA, Philippines (June 15, 2016) – Local officials involved in the drug trade, you have been warned.

Reiterating his vow to implement President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to wipe out the illegal drug trade in the country, incoming Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa warned mayors who coddle drug lords in their area that they will be treated just like any other criminal.

“We will treat them like ordinary criminals. They committed a crime. I don’t care if you’re a mayor. You were elected using your drug money,” the Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted him as saying.

Dela Rosa also assured that these officials who will be caught red-handed won’t be afforded any special treatment.

“There would be no special treatment. How could you give someone a special treatment when he has committed a graver sin against the country because he was chosen as a mayor yet he has served as the drug lord in their area? He has committed a graver sin, right? So we would give you an ordinary criminal treatment? You might as well leave your post,” he said.

As a way of strengthening the PNP to help in Duterte’s anti-crime drive, Dela Rosa said he would appoint 15 new regional directors who won’t be afraid to defy local officials who are coddling drug lords.

“Our drug problem worsened because many of our commanders are afraid to go against the drug lords. They say that they have the protection of the mayor, governor or congressman. I would assign people who won’t be afraid to go against the drug lords,” he said.