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Police officials tagged by Duterte in drugs face probe

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<figure class="op-social"><iframe frameBorder="0" height="383" src="~//www.youtube.com/embed/ixiBCIvWqLE" width="510"></iframe></figure>MANILA - The police disciplinary body is investigating officers tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte in the illegal drug trade, its vice chairman said Wednesday.Three of the five officials, who are still in the active service, face dismissal from their posts if found guilty, National Police Commission vice chairman Rogelio Casurao told reporters. Two others are retired.Casurao said the investigation proper would take seven days while the Napolcom’s findings would be released within a month.“This is quite an experience. It’s a challenge actually, how to go about your mandate on five PNP (Philippine National Police) officials who are practically at the apex of the PNP,” he said.“We can assure that even with this kind of situation, the full force of the law in our mandate as a disciplinary body will be applied without sacrificing due process,” he said. Duterte, who had promised to wage a “bloody war” against crime, identified on Tuesday Chief Superintendents Joel Pagdilao, Edgardo Tinio and Bernardo Diaz, retired Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr. and retired Chief Superintendent Vicente Loot as <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/05/16/duterte-links-5-top-cops-to-drug-trade">coddlers</a> of drug syndicates.They <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/05/16/duterte-fed-wrong-info-says-former-qcpd-chief">denied</a> the allegation. The three active-duty officers are <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/07/06/16/pnp-chief-bato-to-meet-officials-linked-to-drugs-report">scheduled to meet</a> with PNP Chief, Director General Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa on Wednesday.Casurao said an investigation team composed of six lawyers was formed &quot;right after&quot; the President&#x27;s announcement.“We are working very exhaustively on the area of the drug menace problem because this is the hallmark now of the Duterte administration,” Casurao said.“Imagine a father killing his own son and vice versa. Hindi mangyayari ito kundi sa droga. We have dismissed a lot of officers already,” he said. Casurao said the Napolcom could no longer sanction retired officer Loot and Garbo.Loot, who was elected as mayor of Daan of Daanbantayan town in Cebu last May, will be investigated by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), he said.State prosecutors at the Department of Justice will handle Garbo&#x27;s case, he said.

MANILA - The police disciplinary body will investigate officers tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte in the illegal drugs trade, its vice chairman said Wednesday.