‘NARCO COPS’: More than 30 police officers in WV linked to narco trade

By: Jennifer P. Rendon

MORE than 30 police officers assigned to Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) in Western Visayas are under monitoring for alleged links to the illegal drug trade.

PNP chief Police General Oscar Albayalde confirmed that these Western Visayas cops are part of the 391 cops who are being tagged in the drug trade.

Albayalde earlier encouraged officers who are on the government’s drugs watch list, or more known as PRRD list, to submit themselves to the legal process.

“If they think they are in the list, they can always present themselves for adjudication,” he said.

Albayalde said the PNP has an adjudication board in the Regional Intelligence Division in different regions of the country.

But by submitting themselves for adjudication, it doesn’t mean that they will not be monitored anymore or they can go on with their nefarious activities.

“It’s not an excuse. We still do counter-Intelligence monitoring to ascertain if they have involvement or not,” he said.

Albayalde said there’s also the IMEG (Integrity Monitoring Enforcement Group), which is national in scope that will prove if they are no longer involved in illegal activity.

For those who refuse to submit to adjudication, Albayalde ordered field commander to build up cases against these policemen for filing of cases in court.

“I’m sure they would be dismissed from the service,” he said.

Currently, Albayalde said a handful of officers underwent the adjudication process.

“I believe that they find it difficult that they would remain under monitoring until the rest of their career. They have to clear themselves,” he said.

These police officers hold the ranks of patrolmen to lieutenant colonel.

In another list, the PNP said about 727 policemen have alleged involvement in illegal drugs and other illegal activities.