ILOILO City – Illegal drugs, wanted persons and loose firearms – these are the focus of the new director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO).
According to Police Colonel Adrian Acollador, he will continue prioritizing these which were also the focus of his predecessor, Police Colonel Gilbert Gorero.
He directed police chiefs to review the list of suspected drug personalities and fugitives in their areas, and conduct operations against them.
“If we could convince them to surrender, much better. But if they refuse, we have to conduct operations,” said Acollador
For drug suspects, it’s going to be buy-busts. For fugitives, they would be served with arrest warrants.
“They have the potential nga basi himuon private armed group of some politicians,” Acollador told Panay News, citing the upcoming May 9, 2022 elections.
The IPPO director is also not discounting the possibility that drug traffickers would support politicians that they could someday use as protectors.
Regarding the problem on insurgency, Acollador reminded policemen to be always on alert, “especially those towns with reported presence of New People’s Army.”
“They must make sure they have enough personnel in their police stations. Also, they must coordinate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Acollador said.
The IPPO director said another focus is the security preparation for the elections.
“We have to discuss which towns need attention. So far daw wala man gid sang lugar nga grabe gid ang political rivalry kay halos mga nagapadalagan wala sang kontra. Still, we have to alert,” Acollador said.
There are 42 towns in Iloilo province, and one component city./PN
