MANILA – National Police Commission (Napolcom) Vice Chairman Rogelio Casurao on Friday said he has received investigation results on three of the five police officials allegedly linked to the illegal drug trade.
Casurao said the findings of the investigation, conducted by the three adhoc committees created for each general, have been submitted to Napolcom’s Inspection Monitoring an Investigation Service.
The stressed generals, Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz of the Police Regional Office 6, former National Capital Region Police Office Police Director Joel Pagdilao and former Quezon City Police District Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio, were given five days to respond to the findings.After the grace period, the agency will recommend action.
According to Napolcom official the final results will be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte, who had linked the police officials to the illegal drug trade.
The report, Casurao told reporters in a chance interview that his office was conflicted on how to handle Duterte’s inevitable judgment on the PNP generals.
He said if they agreed with Duterte’s decision, they would be considered the government’s puppet. If they rejected it, they would be in trouble with Malacañang.
A lawyer by profession, Casurao, said that it was not their job to prove Duterte’s allegations.
“The allegations against the police officials are criminal cases that should be investigated by the Department of Justice,” he said.
“The Napolcom only handles administrative matters,” he pointed out.
Aside from the three active police officials, Duterte had also linked retired Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo and retired Chief Supt. now Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot to the illegal drug trade./PNA/RMA/SFM