Anti-drug body to undergo reorientation

PRO XI Director Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan said chiefs of police will select and vet their personnel for the drive against illegal drugs. (Photo: Philippine National Police/ Facebook)

DAVAO CITY— The Police Regional Office (PRO XI) will conduct reorientation seminars for its drug enforcement teams while awaiting guidelines on illegal drug operations.

This after President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies to join the anti-illegal drug operations led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

PRO XI Director Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan said chiefs of police will select and vet their personnel for the drive against illegal drugs.

“They will undergo orientation and short seminar while awaiting written guidelines,” Gaerlan said.

At Wednesday’s PNP joint press conference with the Armed Forces of the Philippines at Royal Mandaya hotel, Chief Insp. Andrea Dela Cerna said there is no official order yet to start the illegal drugs operations.

“We will evaluate all officers who will enter the unit and will try to make sure that they don’t have derogatory records and have any connections when it comes to illegal activities, especially on drugs,” Dela Cerna said.

Dela Cerna said the reorientation will remind police personnel on the implementation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), the rule of law, and police operational procedures when it comes to arrests, conduct of operation, and human rights.

In a separate interview, Davao City Police Office director Sr. Supt. Alexander Tagum also said the local police forces are always ready on the war on drugs.

“However, there will be a series of re-orientation and seminars on Human rights and police operational procedure that we must conduct to all our drug enforcement operators before we can resume our operations in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) XI,” he said.