The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Negros Oriental, headed by acting provincial police director, Sr. Supt. Edwin Portento, has stopped its anti-illegal drugs operations following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to take the lead.
Sr. Supt. Portento, in an interview Thursday afternoon, disclosed that effective Wednesday, after receiving a copy of President Duterte’s memorandum, he directed the police chiefs in the six cities and 19 municipalities to stop the conduct of buy-bust and entrapment operations and the service of search warrants against suspected drug personalities.
But he clarified that while PDEA is already in the lead, the Negros Oriental PNP Provincial Office (NORPPO) continues with its intelligence monitoring and gathering of information against suspected drug personalities and to provide the same to the PDEA here.
Also, as per order of the President, the police have increased their visibility out in the streets to prevent the spread of illegal drugs, Portento added.
At the same time, Sr. Supt. Portento clarified that while PDEA takes over the lead in anti-drug operations, this does not limit the PNP from making arrests when a suspect is caught “en flagrante delicto” or in the act of pushing/using shabu or other illegal drugs, such as during checkpoints.
According to Portento, the PNP here is now focused on eight major crimes, such as theft, robbery and carnapping, among others, but if PDEA would request them for assistance or security during an anti-illegal drugs operation, they can do so.
The PDEA in Negros Oriental is undermanned but Portento believes that with the President’s directive, the agency would be getting more personnel.
The provincial police director said they are still awaiting supplemental guidance from PNP higher headquarters as regards President Duterte’s memorandum to all agencies, dated Oct. 10, 2017, implementing Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The President reiterated this during Thursday’s Press Briefing Room Re-launch in Malacañang.
Meanwhile, the PDEA in Negros Oriental is still awaiting guidance from the PDEA regional office on the President’s order.
PDEA-Negros Oriental chief, Agent Jason Cabataña, in an interview Thursday afternoon, confirmed that they lack personnel here, with a total of nine people assigned in the province.
Of the nine, five are field operatives, including himself, while four are administrative personnel, Cabataña disclosed.
He hopes that the PDEA regional office will be fielding more personnel to Negros Oriental even as he describes the President’s order as a “challenge” for them to do their best despite lack of manpower. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)