TOM BADMOUTHS 3 TOP COPS TO GLO

FRUSTRATED with the illegal drugs problem in Cebu City, Mayor Tomas
Osmena reported to the President how three senior police officials
residing in Barangay Calamba have failed to curb the drug problem there.

And he gave her their names - Julio Augusto, Police Regional Office
(PRO) 7 Deputy Director for Administration; Col. Orlando Pestano,
chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Manila; and
Gen. Manuel Cabigon, also of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The mayor said Arroyo got "quite upset" when he told her this during
her visit here last Monday.

"Bahala na sila. I think she should know. Of course this will be
looked into," Osmena told a news conference yesterday.

The drug problem in Calamba, he said, is "very alarming" and is worse
than that in Pasil.

"Calamba is a hotbed of drugs and within the 200-meter radius, you
have three senior police officials who live there and they are aware
of the problem but I'll be darned why they don't know how to solve
it," Osmena said.

Crusader

The drug problem in Calamba came to prominence in November 1997 when
anti-drugs crusader Alden Abi-abi was shot dead by motorcycle-riding
men.

Four suspects, including a policeman, were arrested, charged but were
absolved of the crime by the courts for failure of the prosecution to
prove their involvement in the killing beyond reasonable doubt.

There have been several drug-related raids and arrests in the
barangay, which belongs to the south district of Cebu City.

Mayor Osmena clarified to reporters that he has not received reports
linking Augusto, Pestano or Cabigon to the drugs trade in the barangay.

Sought for comment yesterday, Augusto said it is the mayor's
prerogative to report the matter to Arroyo.

He said he has done his part in solving the problem, such as
conducting raids in the area and encouraging the residents to
participate in the campaign against drugs.

Unfortunately, the community is uncooperative, he said.

Living Condition

"The mayor can do what he wants. I don't know what his purpose is but
we have to remember that drugs is a social problem and the Chief
Executive has to do much more about it," Augusto said.

"The living condition in Calamba is much worse than Pasil. Social
services must be provided in the barangay and in Calamba, wala gyud.
Livelihood, orderliness and other basic services must be provided
first if we want to solve the problem," he said.

The police official is due to retire this month.

Pestano and Cabigon are reportedly based in Manila.

One Battalion

The mayor also recalled how Augusto sent one battalion of policemen
from the Regional Mobile Group to Pasil to stop illegal activities
there last year, "but in Calamba, only four policemen," he said.

Osmena said illegal drug activities are not limited to Calamba, since
this is also rampant in Ermita and T. Padilla, "where policemen can
even be part of the problem."

The PNP law empowers the mayor to have a say on the choice of police
chief of his area. He picks from a list of recommendees submitted by
the Philippine National Police (PNP).