PNP chief Debold Sinas yesterday ordered the anti-narcotics chief of the Zamboanga City police station be held under restrictive custody after recently testing positive for drug use.
Major Jivertson Pelovello, head of the Drug Enforcement Unit, is now with the Personnel Holding Center of the Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Police Office based in the city, facing pre-charge and summary dismissal proceedings.
“Anybody who will test positive for drug use does not deserve to stay in the service any minute longer,” Sinas said as he reiterated that no one will be spared by the PNP from its ongoing efforts to purge the police force of drug users.
Sinas said 60 personnel of the Zamboanga City police station underwent drug tests last December 18. Of the 60, 12 were from the DEU, including Pelovello.
Pelovello tested positive during the test. A confirmatory test conducted on January 6 confirmed that he had used illegal drugs.
Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Police director Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan said Pelovello had been disarmed was with the corresponding administrative charges.
In July last year, Pelovello was relieved as station commander of the Zamboanga City police after a video showed him pinning down and stepping on the stomach of a male motorcycle rider who figured in a road accident.
