Police chiefs in Central Visayas gather as they prepare to return to drug war

ALL chiefs of police from the lower units in Central Visayas were called to a conference yesterday morning as part of the reactivation of the drug enforcement units of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Police Regional Office 7 (PRO-7) public information officer Supt. Reyman Tolentin said this is also part of the directives from Camp Crame.

Tolentin said they have not yet received the guidelines on their participation in the war against drugs, even though President Rodrigo Duterte already gave them a go-signal to conduct anti-drug operations under the supervision of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Tolentin also mentioned during the conference that all members of the different drug enforcement units must have not been involved in illegal drug activities as part of the police organization’s effort to cleanse its ranks.

Also tackled was the procurement of body cameras for policemen engaged in drug operations.

PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa had said in previous media interview that he needed the help of local government units (LGUs) in procuring body cameras for policemen assigned in their respective locality.

Tolentin said that for the meantime, the PNP national headquarter in Camp Crame would be the one to provide body cameras for policemen in the region. The equipment is expected to arrive next year.

Meanwhile, City Intelligence Branch (CIB) chief Cristopher Navida of the Cebu City Police Office said that the CIB will continue cleaning its own ranks even after the reactivation of the PNP in war on drugs.

Navida said that his office may select the members of the drug enforcement units of every police station in the city as part of the reactivation process.

In addition, Navida said a one-day seminar will be conducted by the Commission on Human Rights before Christmas and this will be attended by the members of the different drug enforcement units.