By Calvin Cordova
CEBU CITY - One of the 68 police officers relieved from the Talisay City Police Station in southern Cebu tested positive for illegal drug use.
Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, Central Visayas regional police director, said a Police Officer 1 (PO1) was found positive for illegal drugs.
We are withholding his name yet pending results of the confirmatory test,” Sinas said.
The massive revamp was implemented last Sunday where the 68 police officers were replaced by 70 officers from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB).
Both the incoming and outgoing personnel were made to undergo a drug test, said Sinas.
Supt. Marlu Conag is still the city’s police chief.
The Central Visayas police office said the relief of the 68 police officers was in response to the statement of President Duterte last August 21 in a meeting with municipal mayors that police officers in Talisay are involved in illegal drug activities.
Before their deployment, the replacements from the RMFB underwent crash courses on investigation, intelligence, operation, patrolling and police community relations.
The relieved personnel were reassigned to RMFB and will attend Moral Recovery Program and Enhanced Basic Internal Security Operations Course training sessions / classes.
Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas met with the new set of police officers yesterday, which coincided with the turnover of a new police vehicle that the city donated to the city police force.
“We can assure that these new personnel are capable of maintaining peace and order in the city,” Sinas said.
Sinas said eight of the relieved policemen are being investigated due to their alleged involvement in the pilferage of evidence recovered during anti-drug operations.