Pubdate: Sun, 03 Jul 2016 Source: Philippine Star (Philippines) Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2016 Contact: http://www.philstar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622 Author: Jaime Laude SOLDIERS TAPPED IN WAR ON DRUGS President Duterte will give members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) police powers to enable them to fully operate against lawless elements and major crime syndicates in the country. AFP chief Gen. Ricardo Visaya revealed in yesterday's command conference that Duterte would issue executive orders for this purpose. Duterte has tapped the military, along with the Philippine National Police ( PNP), for the launch of a massive anticriminality campaign to rid the country of lawless elements and illegal drugs. "The President told us during our first command conference that he is ready to grant the AFP police powers," Visaya told The STAR. During the command conference, his first as commander-in-chief, Duterte was briefed on the capabilities of the military, the country's fighting force against internal and external security threats. The conference was held immediately after the command turnover ceremony between Visaya as AFP chief and outgoing acting AFP chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda. Being the commander-in-chief, the President has powers to tap the military in the conduct of law enforcement operations, if he deems it necessary. The police powers will serve as a shield for soldiers who will be running after criminals all over the country, Visaya said. "With police powers, the AFP's 130,000- strong force will be involved, along with the PNP, in going after major drug syndicates around the country." 3 more drug suspects slain Three more suspected drug personalities, including a former police officer, were killed in the first few days of the Duterte administration, bringing the total number of fatalities to 15. Added to the list were former Police Officer 1 Aljen Jaquines, Elmer Nicdao and Mario Molina. Jaquines and Nicdao were killed in an encounter with anti-narcotics agents in North Caloocan on Friday night. Molina was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur on Thursday. He was the second drug personality slain in the municipality since last week. Molina was included in the drug list of the police, according to Bantay town police chief Senior Insp. Edgardo Medrano. Nicdao and Jaquines reportedly shot at the police officers, triggering an encounter. Members of the Northern Caloocan police-special anti-illegal drugs unit were responding to reports that an illegal drug trade was ongoing at Nicdao's residence in Barangay Bagong Silang. Police recovered a .38 caliber revolver from Jaquines, an improvised shotgun from Nicdao and two plastic sachets said to contain shabu and drug paraphernalia at the scene of the encounter. Nicdao was said to be the number one drug trafficker in North Caloocan. Reports said Jaquines was discharged from the service due to an administrative case. Meanwhile, eight suspected drug traffickers and users were arrested in separate police operations in the Bicol Region on Friday. On the same day, 21 others, including 11 in Pangasinan, seven in Benguet and three in Camarines Sur, surrendered to the authorities. Christopher Ajero and Ryan Espartinez, both in the watchlist of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), were arrested in a drug sting in Barangay 16, Legazpi City, Albay. The suspects yielded 10 plastic sachets said to contain shabu, drug paraphernalia and a .45 caliber pistol. The six other suspects were nabbed in a suspected drug den in Irosin, Sorsogon. PDEA's marching orders The new PDEA chief has been ordered by President Duterte to suppress illegal drugs in the country within three to six months. During a turnover ceremony, PDEA director general Isidro Lapena said he received marching orders from the President to put an end to the drug menace within that period. Lapena vowed to accomplish the task within the deadline provided by Duterte, whose administration's top concern is to suppress the illegal drug trade. He said he was tasked to head the antinarcotics agency to show that the PDEA, once described by the President as "contaminated," is working for the purpose for which it was created. During the campaign period, Duterte said he was considering dismantling the PDEA, the lead agency tasked to enforce the anti-drug law. "If we will be successful, I believe the agency will not be abolished anymore," Lapena said. NBI task force National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Dante Gierran said he has assigned people in the bureau who would form the task force on illegal drugs. Gierran clarified that the new task force would be different from the agency's anti-illegal drug division, which is only focused on Metro Manila and nearby areas. He said the new task force would cover all 18 regions. Medical marijuana bill Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III has re-filed his controversial "compassionate medical marijuana" bill, which seeks to allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. "Legalizing the medical use of cannabis or marijuana in our country will benefit thousands of patients suffering from serious and debilitating diseases," Albano said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom