CEBU CITY–Wake up.
This was the advice of Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, to the electorate barely a month before the Barangay and SK elections.
The country’s top police official believed the people themselves knew who among their respective village officials were into the illegal drugs trade.
“Please do not vote for these kind of persons so that the drug problem in our country will die down,” said Dela Rosa in Cebuano during a news conference after the launching of the 26th Defense and Sporting Arms Show at SM City Cebu on Thursday morning.
“What will happen to our war on drugs if these officials will remain in power just because they have lots of money?,” he added.
Asked if the PNP would reveal the names of the barangay officials linked to illegal drugs, Dela Rosa did not give a definite answer.
“All we could do is to proclaim the good and the bad news, but we could not stop them from seeking reelection. The PNP has the list of incumbent barangay captains and councilmen who are into the drugs trade. (But) I believe the people knew who among their officials are involved in the illegal drug trade,” he said.
The gun ban will be in effect during the election period which will run from April 14 to May 21, 2018. The gun ban is meant to curb violence linked to the elections.