Manila antidrug units dissolved after illegal arrest of 4 Koreans

MANILA, Philippines—Antidrug units in all Manila police stations will be dismantled and replaced with a centralized unit at the headquarters of the Manila Police District (MPD).

The order was issued by Mayor Alfredo Lim following the illegal arrest of four Korean tourists on February 14 by personnel of the MPD Station 3 antidrug unit in Sta. Cruz who allegedly extorted money from them.

There had been reports of station-level units either coddling illegal drug dealers or extorting money from hapless victims in the past.

At a press conference on Monday, Lim asked MPD director Senior Superintendent Alejandro Gutierrez to reconvene a centralized drug unit that will be the only unit allowed to investigate drug cases, together with the City Hall detachment.

“Effective today, we are going to dissolve all these drug units in all the police stations because of these drug incidents, and transfer the personnel to MPD headquarters to different assignments,” the mayor said.

Lim said the 10 members of the MPD Sta. Cruz antidrug unit who have not reported for work since February 14 are facing complaints of kidnapping and extortion.

Two Korean tourist guides believed to be accomplices of the suspects have already been arrested.

Lim also vowed to return the money extorted from the victims once the suspects are arrested.