Cops, local officials appeal to PNP: Don’t relieve Kidapawan police chief

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines - Residents here are frantic over stories that city police director Superintendent Franklin Anito might be replaced soon after three of his men tested positive to methamphetamine hydrochloride, most known as shabu.

"Sana naman huwag mangyari yan. We know that big criminal syndicates want him out due to his unrelenting campaign against them since he became city police director late last year," said a Chinese trader, who operates multi-million businesses in the city.

Barangay officials have urged the mayor here, Joseph Evangelista, to appeal to the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) not to relieve Anito due to the misconduct of his men.

"He merely inherited the problem because his predecessors did nothing to stop them," said a community elder, who asked not to be identified.

Talks have been spreading around for more than a week now that Anito might be replaced with another officer based on the so-called command responsibility policy, which the PNP applies to officers for misbehavior of subordinates.

Evangelista on Wednesday said he too is worried of the possibility that Anito could be relieved from his post after individual urine analysis showed that some of his men are hooked to drugs.

Another policeman under Anito, PO2 Ricky Santos, hogged the news last week when forensic experts discovered he submitted fake urine sample after having been ordered to undergo drug testing.

Santos is touted to have "strong connections" with influential people in Kidapawan City, the provincial capital of North Cotabato.

Evangelista said Anito should not be relieved from his post just for the reason that he has subordinates who are drug dependents.

Evangelista said it was Anito who initiated the move to determine who from among his subordinates are into illegal drugs.

“Removing Superintendent Anito as my chief of police is really unfair,” Evangelista told reporters.

Anito, who assumed as city police director on November 11 last year, is admired by city residents for his continuing crackdown on illegal drugs and motorcycle theft.

He assured last week to prosecute his subordinates who tested positive to illegal drugs.

Evangelista said he and barangay leaders in the city want Anito to remain as city police director for him to implement a security plan they crafted multilaterally.