Dismissal from service awaits police personnel who would prove positive of drugs, the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) warned.
BPPO continues to conduct surprise drug tests on personnel in the entire province to rid the Philippine National Police (PNP) organization of scalawags.
Police Superintendent Ricky Delelis, BPPO public information and deputy chief for operations, warned that the routine would be tighter once incoming President Rodrigo Duterte assumes office.
It would then be made mandatory, Delelis said.
Cleansing the police ranks will maintain the public trust intact, considering that cooperation of the public is significant in the more aggressive and possibly “bloodyâ€- -as vouched by the incoming President- -in the fight against illegal drugs.
The Bohol rounds will be part of the regionwide implementation of surprise drug testing after a cop in Cebu proved positive of drugs.
Bohol District Jail Chief Inspector Jose Rusylvi Abueva, for his part, also said all of their personnel will also be subjected to surprise drug test, in addition to the annual mandatory drug test.
The BPPO had its score in November 2014, when a report cropped up that two cops in Bohol- -one assigned in Panglao, the other in Dauis- -proved positive of drugs and had been investigated by the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 in Cebu.
Police Provincial Director Dennis Agustin then made it a policy to remain consistent with the objective to achieve a drug-free Bohol by starting with the cleansing in the ranks.
Agustin implemented the annual random drug test.
In the rounds of the random drug tests on police personnel, the two cops proved positive of shabu.
As part of due process, the PRO-7 then placed the two Bohol cops under summary administrative proceedings for them to also explain their side and defend themselves against the charges for administrative offenses lodged against them.
The cop in Dauis proved positive in a random drug test conducted in late 2013, while the one in Panglao proved positive in a separate round the following year.
In the succeeding rounds of random drug test, all police personnel passed.
Those who proved positive of drugs would be subjected to summary proceedings, then the recommendation of the summary hearing officer will be reviewed and be subjected to a deliberation.
The decision will come from PRO-7 director who has the disciplinary authority in dismissing a police officer from service.
Agustin, pointed out that cleansing the organization will set as example to the public at the height of aggressive campaign against illegal drugs in the province.
The BPPO had also considered coming up with a program that will look after the police personnel who would be dismissed from service so that they could reintegrate with the community as renewed citizens.
This way, the rigid police trainings they had undergone will be put to good use and as way to spare them being recruited by syndicates, considering their skills.
It is also possible to help them go through rehabilitation before they could reintegrate to the community and start a new life as law-abiding citizens, instead of indulging in illegal activities as an option to make a living.