PRO-12 orders police chiefs to ‘level up’ drive vs. illegal drugs

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The new director of Police Regional Office 12 (Soccsksargen) has directed local police chiefs to “level up” their performance and accomplishments in the campaign against illegal drugs or face relief.

Chief Supt. Eliseo Rasco issued the order to improve the region's overall performance in the government's ongoing campaign against illegal drugs, Supt. Aldrin Gonzales, PRO-12 public information officer, said Friday.

“There will be no reshuffle for now of our chiefs of police as the regional director said he will observe first their performance,” Gonzales said in a radio interview.

However, he said Rasco warned that those who would be found inefficient and not performing according to standards will be removed from their posts.

PRO-12 had created a regional oversight committee to regularly monitor the performance and accomplishment of local police units in line with the campaign against illegal drugs. Gonzales said the move complements the regional police’s continuing efforts to impose proper discipline and clean up their ranks of rogue personnel.

In the past eight months, police units in the region have launched a total of 1,291 anti-drug operations and arrested 1,388 drug pushers and users.

A report from PRO-12 said some 1,076 drug-related cases were filed during the period in various courts in the region. It said at least 108 drug personalities were killed during encounters with operatives after resisting arrest.

Operatives recovered some PHP17.5-million worth of illegal drugs, comprising 2.5 kg. of “shabu” (crystal meth) and 48 kg. of marijuana.
The Dangerous Drugs Board placed the street value of shabu at PHP6,800 per gram and PHP12,000 per kg. for marijuana.

Soccsksargen comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan, and Cotabato. (PNA)