President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. (Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is leaving the fate of the chief of police who was taken by the New People’s Army as its Prisoner of War to his captors after he was allegedly found possessing illegal drugs.
The NPA in a statement said they found a sachet of shabu from Chief Inspector Arnold Ongachen.
Duterte said that an NPA leader he identified as Quinn called him up and told him that they found illegal drugs from Chief Inspector Arnold Ongachen during a raid in Governor Generoso Municipal Police Station town in Davao Oriental last Sunday evening, May 29.
“He would not lie to me,” Duterte told reporters in a press conference, Thursday night, June 2.
He said the NPA raided the station because of the numerous complaints of the residents in the area that the police are involved in illegal drug trade.
Duterte said the NPA asked him what they would do and he told the rebels to try the police in their “kangaroo court”.
“You try him and sentence him to 20 years hard labor,” he said.
Duterte also said that he will not rescue the police official.
“Ayoko (I don’t want to),” Duterte said when asked if he will fetch the police from the NPA.
“Yung last time din ganun din, yung sa Army, gusto kong ihulog sa helicopter,” he said of a previous soldier who was captured by the NPA.
Duterte said he discovered it after the soldier was released to him.
“Binulungan ako ng sundalo na ‘Sir, nahulihan yan ng droga,'” he said.
“I said I’d be harsh in dealing with drugs. I’m sorry for that guy,” Duterte added.
The NPAs on Wednesday said they have identified the municipality of Gov. Generoso “as a gateway of illegal drug trade.”
In December 2014, the NPAs also captured Compostela Valley Provincial jail warden who was accused of “negligence, corruption and drug-trade inside the Compostela Valley Provincial Jail.”
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines released Jose Mervin Coquilla, after 28 days.
The NDF ordered Coquilla’s release as a “unilateral exercise of political authority, humanitarianism, and to help propel for the immediate resumption of the Government of the Philippines (GPH)-NDFP peace negotiations.” (davaotoday.com)
