DAVAO CITY: Three police brigadier generals and 22 full colonels of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Davao Region, including its National Support Unit, have tendered their courtesy resignation on Friday, January 6.
The resignation came following the call of Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for all full-fledged police colonels and generals in the country to submit a courtesy resignation in line with the Marcos administration's new strategy in the fight against illegal drugs.
BGen. Benjamin Silo Jr., the regional director of Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 who led the signing of their courtesy resignation, said they are in unison in supporting the DILG's call.
'I talked to colonels and generals of PRO 11; we are in unison in supporting the DILG to tender our courtesy resignation. We set aside legalities, and we do it purely on moral stands and as a challenge to our character. I think this is one sure way for us to occupy the moral high ground on the campaign against illegal drugs,' Silo said.
Silo assured the public that the men and women of PRO 11 occupy the moral high ground in the PNP's campaign against illegal drugs, saying 'none of them are involved in illegal drugs.'
'Yes to PNP internal cleansing,' he added.
Silo also assured the public that police operations in Davao Region will not be affected since those who tender their courtesy resignation will continue doing their job until their resignation is accepted by the five-man committee.
'We will be occupying the same position. We will just be awaiting the evaluation of the five man committee,' he said.
In fact, Silo said, they will strengthen the campaign against illegal drugs.
The police will also lengthen the coverage of its Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations or Sacleo.
Silo vowed to continue arresting high value individuals who are involved in the illegal drug trade.
'This is one way of killing the supply of drugs, and we intend to cater more on the demand reduction activities,' he said.
DILG has initiated its own program, the BIDA (Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan) program, and PRO 11 fully support this, he said.
'We will be going to different schools. We will be tapping the communities, the academe, the churches, believing that we alone in the PNP cannot solve this problem. We really have to tap the community,' Silo said.