ARREST OF 3 COPS SNAGS CITY'S DRIVE VS DRUGS

IT LOOKS like Mandaluyong City's campaign against illegal drugs has hit a
snag.

Under a new system put in place last month, anti-narcotics units have been
reduced to seven-man teams. No one else may arrest or operate except them.
The move was meant to check abuses within the police's antidrug program.

But on Wednesday, three members of the city's antinarcotics team were
arrested and detained for various offenses. That practically left the team
without enough manpower.

Yesterday, the office of the city's Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) was
momentarily closed. When the Inquirer checked, none of the four remaining
DEU officers were present.

Sr. Supt. Ericson Velasquez, city police chief, assured the public that the
city's antidrug campaign continues. Those being detained would be replaced,
he said.

"I have instructed the remaining officers to directly report to me," he
said.

Velasquez has initiated the city's own investigation into what happened on
Wednesday.

The Mandaluyong Police has raised concerns about the way the high-profile
arrest of its cops was conducted.

In his report to the district chief, Velasquez said the raid should have
been at least coordinated with the regional or district police headquarters
to avoid a possible misencounter.

"A misencounter must also be considered in the conduct of the operation,"
Velasquez said, adding the purpose of the operation might outweigh the
result, particularly if an unwarranted casualty occurs.

Velasquez cited several procedures that the raiding team could have
undertaken to ensure that tension remained at its lowest all throughout the
operation.