Suspected drug lord Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro covers his face while being accompanied by police to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC). (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7) isn’t keen on securing a copy of the reported list of “protectors” disclosed by suspected drug lord Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“Unless the NBI will furnish us with a copy, we won’t ask for it. It’s awkward to do that,” Chief Supt. Patrocinio Comendador Jr., PRO 7 director, said in yesterday’s start of the annual observance of Police Community Relations Month.
He said the list which Alvaro reportedly gave has to be validated and not every word the drug personality says should be given credence.
“The statements come from a suspected pusher or drug dealer. Not all of his revelations are reliable. There are information that we must be cautious about. They should be validated,” Comendador said.
He said he received information that there are some police officers who serve as “protectors” of illegal drug groups and that they are looking into it.
Comendador said coordination among law enforcement agencies is essential to have a unified operation against illegal drugs.
He also clarified that the police and the NBI have no internal feud and that both units as well as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will do their best to coordinate operations against drug trafficking.
“We have to support each other unless there are some information which the units won’t reveal. There’s always a mutual respect between the agencies,” Comendador said.
He refused to comment on President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that some policemen killed drug personalities, their accomplices, to silence them.
“I have not heard his entire speech, and I don’t know it’s context. But we, policemen, are just doing our job,” Comendador said.
He cautioned all policemen to be careful against retaliation from drug syndicates. The PRO 7 handed awards to some policemen and units.
The Bohol Provincial Police Office was named Best Police Provincial Office in the field of community relations, while the Lapu-Lapu City Police got the Best City Police award.
At the Capitol, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said the list of protectors given by Alvaro should be verified.
“The law is strict on extra-judicial confessions. A lawyer should assist Alvaro in executing this, otherwise it would be invalid. The list should be verified,” Davide said.
The governor said he believes that President Duterte has the experience in dealing with the legalities required for operations against drug traffickers.
Romeo Manansala, jail warden of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), said Alvaro’s cousin, a police officer, tried to visit him last Saturday afternoon.
“Alvaro identified him as his cousin but we didn’t get his name. I told him we are not entertaining visitors for Alvaro and he understood this,” Manansala said.
Manansala also said they won’t allow food to be delivered to Alvaro for fear that it may be poisoned.
“I told the guards to ask for the names of those who deliver food to Alvaro and to ask Alvaro if he knows these people,” he said./With UP-Cebu Intern Morexette Marie B. Erram