43 cops in Duterte’s narcolist surrender to IAS in Camp Crame

FILE PHOTO: President Rodrigo R. Duterte shows a copy of a diagram showing the connection of high level drug syndicates operating in the country during a press conference at Malacañang on July 7, 2016. (Photo by KING RODRIGUEZ/Presidential Photographers Division)

MANILA—A total of 43 active police personnel already presented themselves to PNP-Internal Affairs Service (IAS) after being named by President Rodrigo Duterte as involved in illegal drugs, PNP spokesperson Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos said on Wednesday.

President Duterte announced their names on Sunday, including those of 98 other policemen. They were told to report to PNP Chief after 24 hours.

Carlos said they were also collating details from various police commanders to account for other policemen, especially in Mindanao and the Visayas, who were in President’s list.

Carlos stressed that active policemen who were named by Duterte have no choice but to report to Camp Crame or to their immediate supervisors.

He explained “if not, they could be charged with subordination. If they would not show up 11 days after the 24-hour deadline of the President lapses, then they will be placed on AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave).”

He said they are conducting a background check if the policemen who snubbed Duterte’s deadline are already on the AWOL list.

According to Carlos there were still a lot of policemen who had not reported yet.

Carlos said the police personnel facing the investigation would be disarmed and placed in holding unit under the IAS custody to ensure their availability anytime during investigation.

He said that part of the investigation was to verify on the properties of the policemen that would help them establish the allegation that they had been receiving protection money from drug lords.

He noted that some of the policemen would be pinned down since the intelligence reports that they had been receiving was that some of the PNP personnel owned condo units, cars and living a lifestyle of the rich.

He added that the PNP will be asking the assistance of the Anti-Money Laundering Council and other government agencies to help in financial investigation.