THE senators on Wednesday said the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) should charge and not just dismiss from the service the 18 police officials linked to the illegal drug trade.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said the PNP and the DILG should do the right thing and charge the suspected police officers.
He stressed that the full force of the law should be applied to policemen to serve as warning to other law enforcers.
“Otherwise, we will continue to hear and see this over and over again,” he said.
Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. also suggested that the PNP and the DILG should do the next step- they should not stop in gathering evidence to meet the burden in a criminal prosecution so that those involved should be made accountable.
Sen JV Ejercito also echoed the same thing that they should be charged accordingly for the crimes committed.
For Sen. Francis Escudero, if the policemen indeed have drug links, they should be charged both administratively and criminally.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada asserted they “should and must be charged either way.”
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said the evidence should be followed.
If good enough for criminal conviction, then they should file the cases.
Since they were already dismissed, he noted “that is already the end of an administrative case.”
