CEBU CITY, Philippines — The chief of the city’s police force agreed with what President Rodrigo Duterte said that illegal drugs continue to proliferate in Cebu.
But Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said his men are doing all they can in the war against the illegal substance.
The President made the announcement during his speech at the Sinulog 2020 Grand Showdown inside the Cebu City Sports Center on Sunday night.
A visibly frustrated Duterte hit the local police for failing to curtail the spread of illegal drugs in the province. He even mentioned Talisay City as a perennial headache.
Soriano said he understands the frustration of the President as he promised that they will use the Chief Executive’s challenge as added motivation to work relentlessly and tirelessly to make the city drug-free.
According to Soriano, the police are facing an uphill battle against illegal drugs but he said that that doesn’t mean they will give up.
During his short talk, President Duterte said drugs is the reason why the Filipino family is breaking up.
Something that Soriano said his men will never allow as he pleaded to the Cebuanos to help his men by beefing up their intelligence network.
He said they will also continue to conduct anti-illegal drug operations and intensify their intelligence gathering.
“Hindi kami hihinto hangga’t may dapat nahuhuli (We won’t stop until there is still someone left that needs to be arrested),” said Soriano.
Soriano however, refused to comment on the President’s allegations that some police officials are involved in the illegal drug trade and that this was the very reason why some of them got killed.
The police chief instead said that there will be no sacred cows in their drive to clear the city of drugs even if it means that some lives have to be sacrificed.
“Basta nagka sala at lumaban sa batas, may mga instances na ganun,” said Soriano.
(If they violate the law and refuse to be arrested, there are instances that these incidents (killings) happen./rcg