ONE-STRIKE POLICY FOR COPS IN ANTI-DRUG DRIVE ORDERED

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno imposed yesterday a
one-strike policy on police chiefs who will fail to check the existence of
any shabu laboratory or warehouse in their respective areas of
responsibility.

"The one-strike policy will be applied if the chief of police fails to
lead anti-illegal drugs operations in his respective area of jurisdiction
or ignores adverse reports about the presence of drug dens or laboratories
or the widespread use of illegal drugs," Puno said.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Puno said the one-strike policy on
illegal drugs will remain "a black mark, a stain that will be very, very
difficult to remove" on the part of erring police officers.

He said the new policy and random drug testing will cover all uniformed
personnel of the PNP, including those in the Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology (BJMP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

Puno issued the directive following reports by the United Nations that the
Philippines ranked second among countries that are transshipment points
for illegal drugs.

He said the government will conduct random drug tests on uniformed
personnel and warned that those found positive would be dismissed outright
from the service.

The DILG chief said that the National Police Commission, which he also
chairs, will form drug testing teams to carry out the random tests
nationwide as part of the efforts of the Arroyo administration to win the
war against illegal drugs.

He said refusal to undergo drug tests will be construed as insubordination
on the part of any member of the PNP.

"This policy is going to be a harsh one. It is going to be a harsh policy
because we want to ensure that everybody will understand that we are
serious about this challenge of beating the problem of illegal drugs in
our country," Puno said.