Bañas tells cops to stay away from illegal drugs

CEBU, Philippines - Police Regional Office-7 director Prudencio “Tom” Bañas yesterday challenged police officers in Central Visayas to stay away from drugs, saying he will be the first to undergo in a drug test that he will order. 

“We cannot be effective law enforcers if we are lawbreakers,” he said, warning policemen who are drug users to stop the vice.

“If you are using (drugs) stop it, now is the time to reform,” he said.

Bañas said he “will enforce the full force of the law” to dismiss from service police officers found using drugs as he vowed no second chance for them because he already given them warnings from the beginning.

“We already gave them a warning, wala nang second chance,” he said. “I’ve already laid down my policies, dapat negative sila kung positive pasensya na sila.”

He said that police officers should instead look after the future of their family.

Aside from drug abuse, Bañas will also ask Supt. Paul Labra, regional intelligence chief, to investigate policemen suspected of being protectors of illegal activities.

“I have directed R2 to find out not only the involvement (to) illegal drugs but to other criminality…we will run after them,” he said.

He vowed that PRO-7 will run after police scalawags and said that community’s participation plays a very crucial role in his campaign.

In order for the police to be effective, Bañas said he would conduct surprise visits to police stations.  (FREEMAN)