9 police officers from PRO-7 test positive for illegal drugs, dismissed from service

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) dismissed nine police officers from service after testing positive for illegal drugs.

In a report given by PRO-7 Director Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas on Friday, October 4, 2019, the officers who were dismissed had ranks from Patrolman to Police Master Sergeant.

These officers were identified as Patrolman Merlo Daclan Laborte, Patrolman Frances Maucesa, Patrolman Greggy Gica, Patrolman Jayrome Solano, Patrolman Joseph Tabo-tabo, Police Corporal Jose Marie Garcia, Police Corporal Gilfredo Carungay, Police Staff Sergeant Joffrey Mulat and Police Master Sergeant Darwin Gonzales.

They tested positive in drug tests held in 2018 and 2019 and have been relieved from their post since then.  Now, they have been officially dismissed from police service.

Aside from being dismissed from service, these ex-cops will also be facing administrative charges and a case for violating Republic Act 9165 section 11 or the possession of dangerous drugs.

According to Sinas, these officers were among those called “ninja cops,” or those who have been recycling illegal drugs they confiscated from anti-drugs operations of the police.

Sinas already assured the public that there are no longer active “ninja cops” syndicates in the region.

Read: PRO-7 stands behind Albayalde amid ‘ninja cop’ allegation vs the PNP chief

However, Sinas revealed that he is not 100 percent sure if there are no longer individual cops involved in drugs in Central Visayas. But the PRO-7 chief said their internal cleansing program is still ongoing.

With the ongoing issue involving “ninja cops,” Sinas said they will be intensifying their random drug testing for all the officers of PRO-7.

For the whole month of October, Sinas said they will be partnering with the Regional Crime Laboratory Office in Central Visayas (RCLO-7) to conduct the random drug testing. /bmjo