Senators on Wednesday, July 26, said it is not enough for the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to dismiss from the service police generals and colonels allegedly linked to illegal drug trade.
“Firing erring officials is not enough. They should be charged accordingly for the crime they have committed. What message will it convey if the government will just let them go unpunished?” Sen. Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito stressed.
On Tuesday, July 25, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. accepted the resignation of 18 PNP generals and colonels allegedly involved in illegal drugs activities, upon the recommendation of the National Police Commission Ad Hoc Advisory Group that investigated the issue.
This came after President Marcos said in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) that he would accept the resignation of “unscrupulous law enforcers and others involved in the highly nefarious drug trade.”
According to the Presidential Communications Office, PNP Chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. informed President Marcos through a letter that the Ad Hoc Advisory Group conducted a thorough probe into the alleged involvement of third level officers in illegal drug activities.
Of the 953 officers investigated, the group urged President Marcos to accept the resignation of 18 officers.
Ejercito called on the PNP and DILG to take decisive action to address the matter promptly.
“Wala nang magtatanda kung walang makakasuhan at makukulong (They should criminally charged and jailed to teach them a lesson) Hindi na matatakot gumawa ng krimen mga opisyal, pulis man o nasa gobyerno (If not, PNP personnel or those in government have no qualms in committing crimes),’’ he added.
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go noted that during the Duterte administration, the government has zero tolerance on illegal drugs.
“Kung totoong may kasalanan, since pinagsubmit sila ng courtesy resignation, papanagutin, not only resignation. Kasuhan kung talagang involved sa droga (If they are really involved, even if they were told to submit courtesy resignation, they should be held accountable, not only resignation. They should be charged if they are really involved in illegal drugs),” Go said in an interview.
But if they are not involved, Go said they should be able to prove their innocence.
“Kawawa naman may mga pamilya rin po ito at ako po ay naniniwala sa ating kapulisan. Marami dyan ang matitino, mas marami dyan ang matitino (I pity them because they have families too, and I have full trust and confidence to majority of our policemen. Many of them are respectable. They are more many of them that can be trusted),” he said.
It’s more important, Go said, to separate those who can potentially damage the institution.
“Pero kung walang kasalanan (If they are innocent), there is due process po dapat munang iprove nila kung talagang may kasalanan ang mga ito (They should prove they are innocent),” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva also said the acceptance of their courtesy resignation is not enough.
“And I’m sure they will do the right thing to charge these police officers. The full force of the law should be applied to them to serve as warning to others. Otherwise, we will continue to hear and see this over and over again,” Villanueva stressed.
Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. said “it is a good step” but “the PNP & DILG should not stop in gathering evidence to meet the burden sa criminal prosecution so that those involved should be made accountable.”
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero also said that “if indeed they have drug links, they should be charged both administratively and criminally.”
Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada echoed their sentiments.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, a former Senate President and a bar topnotcher, advised the PNP and DILG to simply “follow the evidence.”
“If good enough for criminal conviction then they should file the cases. Since dismissed na (Since they have been dismissed) then that is already the end of an administrative case,” Pimentel said.