CANDIDATES were warned not to work with or collude with illegal drugs syndicates just to increase their chances in winning in next year’s elections.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar issued the warning on Saturday, October 2, over the possibility of illegal drugs syndicates financing the campaign of some candidates in exchange for protection once they are elected, where he cited cases in the past wherein some locally elected officials were arrested for involvement in illegal drugs.
He cited the case of a mayor in Quezon province arrested in 2001 for transporting almost 500 kilos of shabu using an ambulance and the recent incident in June this year wherein a former Maguindanao town mayor was arrested after being caught with a cache of firearms and more than P200,000 worth of illegal drugs.
“Illegal drugs operation is a lucrative business and we are not discounting the possibility that either some erring candidates would use this for fund-raising or the drug syndicates would offer campaign donations in exchange for protection once they are elected. The PNP won’t allow this so I already instructed the PNP Drug Enforcement Group and the Intelligence Group to look into this possibility,” said PGen Eleazar.
“I therefore warn candidates not to invest on illegal drugs in their candidacy because I will personally expose you and will lead in the filing of a disqualification case and other appropriate charges once we have enough evidence against you,” he added.
The Chief PNP also stressed that he won’t allow the PNP’s hard work and sacrifices in its aggressive campaign against illegal drugs go to waste.
More than P64 billion worth of shabu were seized while 307,521 illegal drugs personalities, including 13,244 High-Value Targets, were arrested in the campaign against illegal drugs since 2016.
Last month, a multi-law enforcement agency operations led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the PNP resulted in the confiscation of more than P5.5 billion worth of shabu and neutralized 11 big-time drug traffickers, including the main contact of an international drug syndicate, in a series of operations in Zambales, Bataan and Cavite.
He also commended the PNP personnel who took part in an operation in Cavite led by the PDEA, which resulted in the confiscation of more than P1 billion worth of shabu and the arrest of several suspects.
He also lauded the newly-installed Regional Director of Police Regional Office 7, Police Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega, for the confiscation of almost P41.5 million worth of shabu in two separate operations in Cebu province.
Candidates warned against working with illegal drug syndicates
Source: Bullet News Viral
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