Charges will soon be filed against two of the five ranking police officials whom President Rodrigo Duterte had linked to the illegal drug trade, Interior Secretary Mike Sueno said Monday.
At a press briefing in Malacañang, Sueno identified the two as Police Director Joel Pagdilao and Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio.
"For the two, maybe I can already mention, Pagdilao and Tinio... we are ready with the prima facie case against them, which I will sign when I get back to my office," he said.
Sueno did not say when the filing will be, but said they will bare the charges on Tuesday.
Pagdilao is the former director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) while Tinio formerly headed the Quezon City Police District (QCPD). They have previously denied the allegation against them.
Sueno said they are still finalizing the case that will be filed against Director Bernardo Diaz, the third active Philippine National Police (PNP) official Duterte linked to drugs.
"As for General Diaz, we are finalizing the evidence against him because he was assigned in Region 6," Sueno said, adding, however, that they "have the goods" against Diaz.
Aside from the three, two retired PNP officials were also accused as protectors of illegal drug syndicates — ex-PNP deputy chief for operations Dir. Gen. Marcelo Garbo, and ex-PNP training service head Chief Superintendent Vicente Loot.
Sueno said Loot, who is now mayor of Daanbantayan town in Cebu, no longer has supervision over the police in his area. His security details have also been removed.
"As for Mayor Loot... we already lifted his supervision over the police and we have also cancelled his licenses or permit to own guns and bodyguards," he said, adding they are also looking into Loot's assets.
"And since he is a new mayor, we cannot come up with evidence administratively against him as mayor," Sueno said. "But what we are doing is we are conducting lifestyle check on him to find out [if] his assets are not proportionate to his income."
The PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), meanwhile, will look into the accusation against Garbo
"As for General Garbo, well, he is not in active duty right now. He is neither an elected official so the CIDG will file cases against him," Sueno said.
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