January 17th, 12:05am January 17th, 9:45am Kristina Maralit

Citing credible intelligence, President Rodrigo Duterte accused the relieved police chief of Bacolod City of being a protector of narcotics syndicates.

Mr. Duterte met with Bacolod City police chief Senior Supt. Francisco Ebreo and policemen he earlier had ordered relieved.

“At the very least, he might not be in the trafficking business, but he was really a protector,” the President told reporters.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the dismissal of the police officers was a fair warning to abusive officials and uniformed personnel.

“I can’t believe that with all the information available to every chief of police or city police director for that matter, they would not review the record of the province in terms of criminality and drug trafficking,” Mr. Duterte said.

The President said Ebreo and his deputy even visited Bacolod City Councilor Ricardo “Cano” Tan, who is being linked to the narcotics business, at the hospital following his ambush.

“What’s your f—ing business in going to the hospital and they even provided two security men,” he added.

“I am wondering since it’s a strange behavior,” he said.

Ebreo and four other officers were ordered relieved by Mr. Duterte last Saturday, accusing them of being involved in the narcotics trade. He then ordered them to report to the Palace.

The four other policemen are Superintendents Allan Macapagal, Richie Yatar and Naruddin Tayuan and Senior Insp. Victor Paulino.

“This swift action of the President is a timely warning to other PNP officers that he will not tolerate incompetence and inefficiency in the police force, especially with respect to the administration’s crusade versus illegal drugs,” Panelo said.

“While our efforts in destroying the illegal drug apparatus should remain firm and relentless, we take this occasion to reiterate the President’s position that he will support policemen resorting to force only when the same is inevitable as when, in the performance of their duties, a suspect sought to be arrested performs aggressive and violent resistance amounting to an actual or imminent threat to their lives and limbs,” he added.

Panelo said the face-to-face with the President happened late Tuesday afternoon when the police officers received a “dressing down” and were “castigated.”

Also present during the President’s meeting with the sacked policemen were Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde and former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

Go shared the policemen have aired their side and denied any involvement in the narcotics trade in Bacolod City.