IN the fight against illegal drugs, it took six months for the Marcos administration to establish what the Duterte administration confirmed and forthwith acted upon in its first six days — that top-ranking generals and colonels of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are involved in the illegal narcotics trade.
The tense meeting at Camp Crame of then newly appointed PNP chief Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa with key PNP generals who were allegedly in cahoots with drug syndicates is still fresh in our collective memory.
That confrontation and the succeeding police operations nationwide, which resulted in the deaths of both confirmed and suspected drug personalities — whether police, military or civilian — defined the character of Duterte’s drug war.
With Duterte now out of power, the drug syndicates are rearing their ugly heads again, and this time, with a vengeance. Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos himself was appalled at the street value (P408 million) and volume of “shabu” seized by police and PDEA agents in San Fernando, Pampanga recently.
‘… mass resignation of top police officials can succeed as a tactic only if the hoodlums in police uniform are arrested, prosecuted and jailed or punished to the extent of their crimes committed.’
Following months of study and planning, Secretary Abalos took an unpopular (in the PNP) but badly needed action. Last Wednesday, January 4, Abalos asked police officials from the rank of full colonel up to generals to submit their courtesy resignations, giving higher authorities a free hand for a top-to-bottom reorganization or cleansing.
Saying it was more of an appeal than a directive, Abalos noted that the move is part of what he described as a radical approach to speed up the internal cleansing in the police organization.
Abalos explained that the courtesy resignation of all PNP senior officials is an essential part of the efforts to win back the trust and confidence of the people in the campaign against illegal drugs.
He said the move is also for the sake of a much higher number of police personnel who put their lives and those of their families at risk in running after illegal drugs syndicates.
“I saw for myself how most of the policemen would sacrifice their own lives for the sake of ending this problem. But how can you fight efficiently if it is your own boss who is involved?” said Abalos.
This observation by the Interior secretary is sadly true, but a mass resignation of top police officials can succeed as a tactic only if the hoodlums in police uniform are arrested, prosecuted and jailed or punished to the extent of their crimes committed.
