The National Police Commission has stripped four more Southern Luzon mayors of supervisory and control powers over their respective police forces for alleged involvement in the illegal drug activity and other grave offenses.
Officer in Charge Catalino Cuy of the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Lucena City Mayor Roderick Alcala’s police powers was removed under Napolcom Resolution 2017-611.
Others affected by the resolution were the mayors of Bay and Los Baños, Laguna and Ibaan, Batangas.
But the DILG did not divulge the factors that resulted in the mayors’ recall of police powers.
The Napolcom previously recalled the police control authority of five Southern Tagalog mayors over drug trafficking allegations.
The Napolcom Resolution 2017-611 also named Mayors Juan Toreja of Ibaan; Bruno Ramos of Bay and Ceasar Perez of Los Banos who were stripped of their powers to supervise their police force in their jurisdictions.
The Napolcom has the authority to sanction local executives accused of involvement in illegal narcotics trade and other offenses, including frequent unauthorized absences.
Alcala's connection to illegal drugs was mainly due to persistent reports that he took over the drug operations of his uncle, Cerilo “Athel” Alcala, tagged by the PNP as Quezon’s top drug lord.
Cerilo’’s son, Sajid who was also charged with a drug-related offense, is now under recognizance custody to his uncle, Rep. Vicente “Kulit” Alcala.
Last year, the Quezon provincial police absolved Alcala of any link to illegal narcotics.
The Alcalas belonged to a politically powerful clan in Quezon headed by Alcala’s uncle, former agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier issued an order to perpetually ban from holding any public office the older Alcala for involvement in two procurement fraud cases.
Mario Guanzon, DILG's Public Affairs and Communications Service chief, said local executives linked to illegal drugs have taken attempts to have their names stricken off the Napolcom shame list.
He said some mayors even go as far as asking barangay units where they reside to vouch for their characters, securing clearances from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and making personal appeals to the Office of the President.