Pubdate: Sun, 17 Jul 2016
Source: Sun.Star Cebu (Philippines)
Copyright: 2016 Sun.Star
Contact:  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1690
Author: Publio J. Briones III

TURNING HIS BACK ON WAR AGAINST DRUGS

SO IT was all for show. He never meant one word of it. Just plain 
rhetoric. Before he could even retake the reins of the Cebu City 
Government, he had been all over the news because of his bombastic 
pronouncements.

What was that? He offered a P50,000-reward to any law enforcement 
operative who killed a drug personality. Who cares if the fatality 
was, in the eyes of the law, still innocent because he hadn't yet 
been convicted in court? But hey, as long as the guy was killed in a 
legitimate operation, that was alright for Tomas Osmena.

But what if a suspect was injured? Then the shooter would get P20,000.

The news was welcomed by then Police Regional Office 7 director 
Patrocinio Comendador Jr., who described it as "a positive 
development," He said that giving reward was a way "to encourage the 
police officers to go out in the streets and arrest more criminals."

And encourage it did. Head began to roll. Not just any head, mind 
you, we're talking about the likes of Rowen "Yawa" Secretaria, David 
Anunciado and Jeffrey "Jaguar" Diaz. For awhile there, it looked like 
members of the pantheon of Central Visayas' illegal drug industry 
were dropping like flies.

And so state-sponsored killings of drug suspects in legitimate 
operations went on with Osmena as their rah-rah boy. That is, until 
Comendador was relieved.

Say what? No one touches a police official who had been recommended 
by Osmena, especially one with such stellar record. According to the 
mayor, many successful operations against illegal drugs were 
conducted under Comendador's watch.

But no amount of huffing and puffing would change the mind of Camp 
Crame, which is now under new leadership.

During the last administration, Camp Crame transferred Comendador to 
the region during the campaign period. There were talks, though, that 
now-retired Police Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr. was 
behind the move. And Garbo just happens to be one of five police 
generals President Rodrigo Duterte had named as "coddlers" of drug lords.

Garbo? Really? The very person whom Osmena described as "a nice guy" 
who paid him a visit during his birthday last year even though the 
official was no longer PRO 7 director. Yes. The very person whom the 
mayor never heard of any derogatory statements during his stint in the region.

Two days later, Osmena said he wouldn't be surprised if his name is 
mentioned as among the politicians coddling drug lords.

Now where did that come from because I never saw that one coming? But 
that was his reply when asked if he expected to be on the list. 
"That's the line they're trying to say that I'm protecting Jaguar. 
Okay fine, okay raman na, sport na man ko" was what he told Sun.Star 
Cebu's Razel V. Cuizon.

But then earlier this week the mayor learned that his Cebu City 
Police Officer (CCPO) director, Senior Supt. Benjamin Santos, had 
been replaced.

Oh no they did'nt. Osmena reacted by announcing that he would stop 
his efforts in the anti-drug campaign. "Sila na magbuot (It's now all 
up to them). I won't do anything. Sila na ang bahala ana. Let them 
take over everything. We have other problems on traffic, garbage, 
drainage," he told reporters last Thursday. He also said he would 
stop giving the cash reward to police officers.

Then the next day, the mayor announced that he would no longer 
provide allowances to new police officers who'd be assigned to the 
CCPO, including Santos's replacement, Senior Supt. Joel Doria.

As to his earlier plan to give 40 Toyota Hi-Lux vehicles that had 
been used by barangay captains to the police force, here's what he 
had to say: "Let them start on their own."

Ouch.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom