Pubdate: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines) Copyright: 2004 Philippine Daily Inquirer Contact: http://www.inquirer.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073 Author: Luige del Puerto Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.) ARREST OF 3 COPS SNAGS CITY'S DRIVE VS DRUGS IT LOOKS like Mandaluyong City's campaign against illegal drugs has hit a snag. Under a new system put in place last month, anti-narcotics units have been reduced to seven-man teams. No one else may arrest or operate except them. The move was meant to check abuses within the police's antidrug program. But on Wednesday, three members of the city's antinarcotics team were arrested and detained for various offenses. That practically left the team without enough manpower. Yesterday, the office of the city's Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) was momentarily closed. When the Inquirer checked, none of the four remaining DEU officers were present. Sr. Supt. Ericson Velasquez, city police chief, assured the public that the city's antidrug campaign continues. Those being detained would be replaced, he said. "I have instructed the remaining officers to directly report to me," he said. Velasquez has initiated the city's own investigation into what happened on Wednesday. The Mandaluyong Police has raised concerns about the way the high-profile arrest of its cops was conducted. In his report to the district chief, Velasquez said the raid should have been at least coordinated with the regional or district police headquarters to avoid a possible misencounter. "A misencounter must also be considered in the conduct of the operation," Velasquez said, adding the purpose of the operation might outweigh the result, particularly if an unwarranted casualty occurs. Velasquez cited several procedures that the raiding team could have undertaken to ensure that tension remained at its lowest all throughout the operation. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh