PHPhilippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar warned candidates against colluding with îllégâl drugs syndicates to secure funds and boost their chances in next year's elections.
Eleazar issued the warning on Saturday over "the possibility of îllégâl drugs syndicates financing the campaign of some candidates in exchange for protection" once they are elected, citing past cases where some local officials got arrested for their involvement in îllégâl drugs.
He cited the case of a mayor in Quezon province who was arrested in 2001 for transporting almost 500 kilograms of shabu using a government ambulance as well as the incident in June where a former Maguindanao town mayor was arrested for possessing a cache of firearms and more than P200,000-worth of îllégâl drugs.
"îllégâl 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. We will not allow this, so I have instructed our PNP Drug Enforcement Group and Intelligence Group to look closely at such a possibility," Eleazar said.
"I warn candidates not to invest in îllégâl drugs as I will personally expose you and take the lead in filing disqualification and corresponding cases when we have gathered sufficient evidence against you," he added.
"I will not let all the hard work and sacrifices of the PNP in our aggressive campaign against îllégâl drugs go to waste," Eleazar said.
More than P64-billion worth of shabu was seized while 307,521 îllégâl drugs personalities, including 13,244 high-value targets, were arrested in the campaign against îllégâl drugs since 2016.
Last month, a multi-law enforcement agency operations, led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), resulted in the confiscation of more than P5.5-billion worth of shabu and the apprehension of at least 11 big-time drug traffickers, including the main contact of an international drug syndicate, in a series of operations in Zambales, Bataan and Cavite.
Eleazar commended the police's anti-narcotics unit 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 suspects Jorlan San Jose, 26; Joseph Maurin, 38; and Joan Lumanog, 27.
He also lauded the newly installed director of Police Regional Office Central Visayas, Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega, for the seizure of almost P41.5-million worth of shabu in two separate operations in Cebu province.
"Our successful anti-drug operations have been in full swing, and I have instructed our police commanders down to the city and municipal level to further intensify the campaign by regularly updating the old and new drug personalities in their respective areas," said Eleazar.
Eleazar issued the warning on Saturday over "the possibility of îllégâl drugs syndicates financing the campaign of some candidates in exchange for protection" once they are elected, citing past cases where some local officials got arrested for their involvement in îllégâl drugs.
He cited the case of a mayor in Quezon province who was arrested in 2001 for transporting almost 500 kilograms of shabu using a government ambulance as well as the incident in June where a former Maguindanao town mayor was arrested for possessing a cache of firearms and more than P200,000-worth of îllégâl drugs.
"îllégâl 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. We will not allow this, so I have instructed our PNP Drug Enforcement Group and Intelligence Group to look closely at such a possibility," Eleazar said.
"I warn candidates not to invest in îllégâl drugs as I will personally expose you and take the lead in filing disqualification and corresponding cases when we have gathered sufficient evidence against you," he added.
"I will not let all the hard work and sacrifices of the PNP in our aggressive campaign against îllégâl drugs go to waste," Eleazar said.
More than P64-billion worth of shabu was seized while 307,521 îllégâl drugs personalities, including 13,244 high-value targets, were arrested in the campaign against îllégâl drugs since 2016.
Last month, a multi-law enforcement agency operations, led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), resulted in the confiscation of more than P5.5-billion worth of shabu and the apprehension of at least 11 big-time drug traffickers, including the main contact of an international drug syndicate, in a series of operations in Zambales, Bataan and Cavite.
Eleazar commended the police's anti-narcotics unit 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 suspects Jorlan San Jose, 26; Joseph Maurin, 38; and Joan Lumanog, 27.
He also lauded the newly installed director of Police Regional Office Central Visayas, Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega, for the seizure of almost P41.5-million worth of shabu in two separate operations in Cebu province.
"Our successful anti-drug operations have been in full swing, and I have instructed our police commanders down to the city and municipal level to further intensify the campaign by regularly updating the old and new drug personalities in their respective areas," said Eleazar.