Three members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Naga City (Camarines Sur) facing investigation as protectors of the illegal drug trade have been relieved of their duties.
Police Senior Supt. Marlon Tejada, CIDG regional operations director in Bicol, said an arrested drug pusher pinned down two policemen with ranks of Police Officer 2 (PO2) and another with rank of Police Officer 1 (PO1) as protectors of the illegal drug activities.
The three policemen were on duty at PNP Station 3 in Barangay Penafrancia, Naga City when they were named by the suspect.
Tejada, in a phone interview Tuesday morning, however, declined to identify the three policemen for lack of authority to divulge their identities.
The three policemen allegedly received protection money from drug dealers operating in Naga City.
Tejada said if found culpable, they would face “administrative and disciplinary action” and could be discharged from service.
The names of the three Naga City policemen surfaced from a buy-bust operation in durg hot spot Purok Isla Sison, Barangay Penafrancia, Naga City, as one of the 13 drug suspects arrested confessed how the three police officers would ask protection money in exchange evading arrest.
Since the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) based in Camp Simeon Ola in Legazpi City launched “Operation Tokhang,” going from door-to-door in neighborhoods of suspected drug users and dependents, it has recorded 6,371 drug personalities-surrenderees in various police stations in the region, in two weeks.
The 6,371 drug personalities included 5,774 drug dependents or users and 597 pushers.
Of the 6,371 drug related-suspects, Albay has recorded 1,679 surrenderees, Camarines Sur, 1,941, Naga City, 133, Catanduanes, 185, Masbate, 532, Sorsogon, 1,009 and Camarines Norte, 892.
A PRO5 report also showed the arrest of 71 suspected drug peddlers while nine suspects, who engaged in a shootout with PNP operatives during buy bust operations, were killed. (PNA)
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