LIFESTYLE CHECK FOR COPS PROPOSED

Authorities yesterday proposed a lifestyle check on policemen linked to
illegal drug activities to eliminate the bad eggs in uniform.

"This lifestyle check will target policemen whose names are in the
watchlist of the PNP, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the
Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the
National Bureau of Investigation," said Senior Supt. Federico Laciste Jr.,
intelligence chief of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force.

AID-SOTF commander Deputy Director General Edgardo Aglipay, meanwhile,
called on the public to help the police in identifying the policemen drug
users and pushers.

"There will be no sacred cows in this campaign. The proposed lifestyle
check is expected to ferret out policemen who are into drugs and have
unexplained wealth.

Regardless of their rank, we will go after them," Aglipay said.

Target of the operations are policemen who are involved in trafficking
shabu and marijuana, those who turned into drug users, those notorious for
"bangketa-operations" wherein they arrest innocent people and threaten to
plant evidence in exchange for huge cash; and protectors of known drug dealers.

Officials said the lifestyle check is expected to ferret out policemen who
are into drugs and have unexplained wealth.