NAPOLCOM Vice-Chairman and Executive Officer Atty. Rogelio T. Casurao on Friday clarified that the grounds for issuing the withdrawal of deputation of police powers of certain local chief executives were “not all drug-related”.
Atty. Casurao made his point after a query was made by Congresswoman Aurora E. Cerilles of the 2nd Congressional District of Zamboanga del Sur after her husband, Gov. Antonio Cerilles from the same province, was named as one of those whose deputation was withdrawn.
The NAPOLCOM Vice Chairperson said that while the most common reason for the withdrawal of deputation was drug-related, there are “specific and detailed” grounds for each of the officials named.
“The resolutions from the NAPOLCOM were clear, as they stated the basis for the withdrawal of the deputation powers of the local officials. It was not solely about drug-related issues,”Vice Chair Casurao said.
NAPOLCOM resolution no. 2017- 571 cited that the grounds for the withdrawal of deputation for Governor Cerilles was the “receipt of a confidential report outlining the abuse of authority committed” by the said official.
For his part, DILG OIC and concurrent NAPOLCOM Chair Catalino S. Cuy reiterated that indeed, there are “various grounds for the withdrawal (of deputation)”.
“The public must be made aware that the confidential reports which formed the basis for the withdrawal of deputation were gathered by different intelligence agencies, thereby giving them a high degree of reliability,”Cuy stated.
He added that there are other actions that can be committed by local chief executives that may warrant the suspension of their power over the police, and it is not just confined to drugs or abuse of authority.
Some of these grounds, according to Cuy include: “frequent unauthorized absences, providing material support to criminal elements or engaging in acts inimical to national security or which negate the effectiveness of the peace and order campaign”. —DILG-PACS
