PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. has underscored his mission to transform the 226,000-strong force as ‘Vanguards of Peace’ tasked to fully enforce the law and further intensify the war on drugs while ensuring the protection of human rights at all time.

The member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991 who became the 2nd top cop under the young administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. has declared that under his watch, police would ensure there would be safe, economically stable and crime-free communities across the country.

The 29th PNP chief has ordered an unrelenting anti-criminality campaign nationwide thru intensive police visibility and sincere police presence.

“We will not rest until every Filipino feels safe and secure in their homes, in the streets and in their places of work,” he said.

Gen. Acorda likewise vowed to sustain the PNP’s massive anti-illegal drugs campaign and internal cleansing program as he cited the force’s success in accounting for over P5 billion worth of shabu and other prohibited substances from January 1 to April 25 this year.

The top cop said that during the period, the PNP conducted 15,589 anti-illegal drug operations which led to the arrest of 20,799 drug offenders, many of them engaged in drug trafficking activities.

He added that the operations resulted in the confiscation of illegal drugs valued at P5,532,186,002.25.

“This is a great accomplishment in our campaign against illegal drugs. We will continue to be aggressive in all our operations against big- time drug personalities or High-value Individuals (HVIs),” he emphasized.

“All this shows the PNP’s strong commitment to slow down if not put an end to the illegal drug trade. Under my leadership, I will assure the public that the PNP will remain steadfast in its commitment to protect the Filipino people and rid the country of the drug menace. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our communities are safe and secure,” Gen. Acorda added.

The PNP chief maintained that their efforts have been highly effective in ensuring that those involved in illegal drugs are brought to justice. The top cop also underscored the need to address the root causes of illegal drug use in the country thru an honest-to-goodness demand reduction and rehabilitation.

He said they are also fully supporting President Marcoses’ commitment to continue the crackdown on illegal drugs but within the framework of the law and with respect for human rights.

The Commander-in-Chief has also maintained the need to focus on the aspect of rehabilitation and socio-economic development of drug patients.

Gen. Acorda has promised the country that he will make sure no member of the police force would be involved in the illegal drug trade even as he described his own approach to the problem as ‘holistic in prevention and aggressive in operations.

The former PNP Director for Intelligence has underscored the big need to subject anti-narcotics policemen to stricter vetting to ensure they are not involved directly or indirectly in any illegal drug activities past or present.

The top cop said he wants a continuing thorough vetting or screening in particular of members of Drug Enforcement Units whether in the PNP National Headquarters or the Regional, Provincial, City and Municipal DEUs.

Gen. Acorda added he has ordered all concerned commanders to further step up their counter-intelligence aimed at ferreting out misfits and scalawags in their organization.

He also maintained that although they have a list of some 3,000 police officers and men involved in illicit activities including the so-called ‘bangketa/hulidap’ and other robbery-extortion cases related to illegal drug operations, majority of the police force remain hardworking and disciplined policemen who are performing their duties to keep the streets safe round the clock.

Gen. Acorda said they are also mulling the possibility of abolishing all Special Operations Unit of different PNP regional and provincial offices as well as national operational support units amid their ongoing internal cleansing.

Officers and men of these SOUs just like those assigned in PNP anti-narcotics units will also be subjected to an honest-to-goodness vetting process.

According to PNP spokesperson, Colonel Jean Fajardo, officers assigned to DEUs need to be subjected to a thorough vetting process including a serious background investigation. She said there is also a need to transfer anti-narcotics officers to other units if he has been there for so many years since there will always be the possibility that they may be ‘eaten’ by the corrupt system.

The purported involvement of some police officers and men in illegal drugs triggered the move by Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ C. Abalos Jr. to call on all 3rd-Level PNP Officers to tender their courtesy resignations before President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. last January.

“We have talked in the PNP and upon consultation with my men coming from different ranks and units, I do believe that the conduct of the investigation will somehow answer all the questions about the gray areas on what happened,” said Gen. Acorda.

The top cop said the PNP will welcome whatever will be the result of the Napolcom and the 5-Man Advisory Group investigation on the matter.

Sec. Abalos said the 5-Man Advisory Group cleared 917 officers of any wrongdoings while 32 are still undergoing investigation.

Gen. Acorda has assured both Houses of Congress of an intensified PNP internal cleansing program under his command.

The top cop particularly welcomed calls by the Philippine Senate led by Senate President Juan Miguel ‘Migz’ F. Zubiri and the House of Representatives led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin F. Romualdez of his strong resolve to lead the massive house-cleaning of the police force.

“The Philippine National Police gratefully acknowledges the support of the Senate and the House of Representatives in all ongoing internal cleansing efforts of the organization. We assure our Honorable Senators and Congressmen that all measures are in place to prevent every possible opportunity for irregularities to be committed by police personnel and if committed, appropriate actions will be readily taken,” he said.

“ At the same time, internal disciplinary mechanisms are enhanced to establish certainty of commensurate punishments as the PNP’s stern response to every case involving any form of misbehavior or abuse by its members,” Gen. Acorda added.

According to the PNP chief, they fully recognize the concerns raised by members of Congress that the very few rogue elements in the police force must not be given any room to propagate their activities and destroy the reputation of the entire organization.

“We welcome their expression of support to our sincere actions to maintain the highest standard of transparency and accountability in the police service.

Our way forward is to reinforce the preventive aspect of our internal disciplinary systems thru early detection and active counter-intelligence to identify red flags and deny further deviancy,” Gen. Acorda said.

The PNP chief said their Internal Affairs Service headed by Inspector General Alfegar M. Triambulo and the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group led by Brigadier Gen. Warren F. De Leon will lead the way in this endeavor.