(Eagle News) — Wanted: New antidrug personnel.
The newly formed Drug Enforcement Group of the Philippine National Police is in search of new recruits who will lead the government in its re-launch of the war against drugs.
In his first-ever press conference as head of the DEG, Senior Supt. Graciano Mijares said on Friday that 477 personnel were needed for the unit, which only recently replaced the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group.
The PNP-AIDG and all antidrug units from the national level down to the police station level were dissolved by President Rodrigo Duterte following the abduction and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo in the hands of rogue policemen.
The policemen had used the government’s war on drugs to commit the crime.
According to Mijares, so far, the DEG was composed of 54 personnel.
“Among all these, nakuha natin from the former AIDG back then. Karamihan dito more on the administrative side.. The rest meron lang iilan na operators na naiwan sa atin. Nakadeploy na sila nagtratrabaho,” he said.
He said, based on a directive from PNP Chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, they were in the process of looking for “young bloods” to be part of the group.
“Yun ang hinahanap natin dito. In different parts of the region, naghahanap tayo. Ang hinahanap natin ay yung may integridad na pulis tayo, may alam sa trabaho, walang bahid ng mga kaso, or involved in illegal drugs,” Mijares said.
He noted that only personnel assigned to the “different (drug enforcement units) and (city drug enforcement groups)” were “authorized” to conduct antidrug operations.
He said this was unlike the previous setup, where “almost everyone” could conduct an operation.
“And they have to coordinate with the (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency). Aside from that, marami ring provisions dun na pinabago na…Dati halos lahat may pwedeng magoperate,” he said.
Own counter-intelligence unit
He said to ensure that his men would be kept in line, the DEG has its own counter-intelligence unit.
He said the unit would focus on the operations conducted by the antidrug operatives.
“Dito sa drug enforcement group, pinakamission natin ay high-value targets, financiers..traffickers, kasama po lahat ng protectors. Yun ang pinakamandate natin sa DEG,” he said.
“The rest, up to the regional level pababa. Dun sila sa Tokhang Reloaded level,” he added, referring to the strategy that sees policemen and barangay officials, among others, knocking on the doors of suspected drug personalities to ask them to stop their illegal activities.
