By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
CAMP Alagar has ordered all police stations in northern Mindanao to strictly follow the directive for the police to keep off the “war on drugs” and leave it to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Supt. Lemuel Gonda, Camp Alagar spokesman, said the police would only play a supporting role to PDEA, and police officers would no longer conduct anti-drug operations.
But Gonda said the police can arrest drug suspects who are caught in the act.
“Dili na kami mohimo og illegal drugs,” Gonda said.
He said the order from Camp Crame stopped the police from conducting tactical operations in line with RA 9165, otherwise known as Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
He said drug enforcement unit operatives in the police would only do intelligence gathering work and support PDEA.
Gonda said the police would now focus on other crimes, internal security and anti-terrorism operations, and strengthen itself.
“Ang atong kapolisan diha na lamang sa plain view operation og dili na kita mohimo o tuyoon na nga mo-operate like buy-bust o raid. Dili na kana puwede. Mo-coordinate na kita permi sa PDEA,” he said.
President Duterte earlier said PDEA would be the “sole agency” to conduct anti-illegal drug operations.
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