A strong message of an unrelenting campaign against local officials suspected of abetting illegal trade and crime is made known by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) after 25 local chief executives (LCEs) are stripped off of their control over local police.
The National Police Commission (Napolcom), an attached agency of the DILG, issued resolutions revoking the deputation of one governor from Region 9 and 24 mayors from different regions — seven from Region 10, five from Region 4A, four from Region 3, three from Region 12, two from Region 4B, one from Region 7, one from Region 9, and one from Region 1.
“There is never a letup on the investigation of local officials reportedly aiding in narco-trade and criminality. The campaign is still on,” says Catalino S. Cuy, the DILG Officer-in-Charge (OIC) and Chair of Napolcom.
The resolutions dated 30 October 2017 withdrawing from 25 LCEs their operational supervision and control over local police are signed by Cuy and other members of the Napolcom en banc namely Napolcom Vice Chair and Executive Officer Atty. Rogelio T. Casurao, and Commissioners Felizardo M. Serapio, Jr., Job M. Mangente, Zenonida F. Brosas, and PNP Chief Ronald M. dela Rosa.
The resolutions state that the Commission is in receipt of a confidential report outlining the alleged abuse of authority committed by respondent officials which warrant the suspension of their deputation as Napolcom representatives.
Further, the resolutions say that the officials are allegedly “engaging in acts inimical to national security which negate the effectiveness of the peace and order campaign of the government” and are suspected of “providing material support to criminal elements.”
According to Napolcom, among the basis of the withdrawal of police power of some of the 25 local government officials is the report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on suspected narco-politicians.
It was also said that some local officials are also tagged in abetting or having links to ‘terrorists’ and thereby should have no control over police operations.
Under the law, governors and mayors are automatically deputized as representatives of the Napolcom in their respective jurisdiction, and are allowed to “inspect police forces and units, conduct audit, and exercise other functions as may be authorized by the Commission.”