Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido still has the opportunity to clear his name, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Eduardo Año said, in response to Espenido’s statement that his inclusion in the narcolist is a failure of intelligence.
“Meron namang ongoing adjudication and validation. That’s the proper venue for him to present his side and clear himself,” Año said.
Espenido is a known drug buster who has history of clashing with influential personalities in line with the illegal drugs campaign.
“Leave it to us. It’s purely an internal issue. I will deal with Espenido squarely, as the Chief PNP, and he as a member of the PNP,” Philippine National Police (PNP) chief PGen. Archie Gamboa said.
The PNP chief said he has a general instruction to narco cops to refrain from talking on their inclusion in the list.
“Sabi ko nga, we’re coming up with a social media protocols for PNP personnel, because you have to resort to our own internal mechanism. So, why Espenido? That’s why I will deal with him internally,” Gamboa said.
Meanwhile, Ano challenged the 357 policemen allegedly involved in drugs to present evidence to clear their name.
“Hanggang hindi nagkakaroon ng pagkakasundo ang apat na ahensyang ito, hangga’t hindi nila sinasabi na ‘Okay na yan’, magpapatuloy ang imbestigasyon,” Año said.
They also need to convince the four agencies on their non-inclusion in the illegal drugs report such as the PNP, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The adjudication process is ongoing and Gamboa has been eyeing to submit his recommendation to President Duterte regarding the narco cops in a joint command conference with the AFP on March 5. – Report from Bea Bernardo
