LINGAYEN–Newly installed Pangasinan Police Director Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, who took over the command Thursday from Senior Superintendent Alan Purisima, has vowed to make the campaign against illegal drugs more intense and rigid in the province.

Nerez also pledged to impose the law more strictly as he warned his men that he will apply the full force of the law against any erring policemen found to be involved in this illegal activity.

Nerez

Nerez told local reporters that he aims to accomplish the task through what he calls as “the power of two”, meaning getting both the law enforcers and the citizens involved.

“We need to go hand in hand in arresting the pushers, source and users,” he said.

Nerez noted that when he was still in Baguio City as its police chief, his immediate previous stint, for almost three years, their monitoring showed that illegal drug activities in Pangasinan apparently surged.

“So tanggalin natin yong source, ma sa-save natin yong mga ibang drug dependents, just cut the source (So let’s remove the source and we will save the drug dependents),” he said.

He said marijuana supply from the upland is brought down to Pangasinan.

Before he assumed his post as provincial police director here, he said he talked to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Cordillera so that  they and the Pangasinan police could have a more consistent and harmonious  coordination in the conduct of drug operations in Cordillera and in Pangasinan.

“I gave them (PDEA) that warning that they should not do foolishness. We will apply the full force of the law,” he said.

Last year, some elements of PDEA Cordillera were caught to be allegedly involved in an extortion activity in Pangasinan involving an arrested suspected drug pusher. 

Nerez, who served the province as head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group some years ago, said he feels honored to be back here.

Nerez also said he need not add more polices for his men to adopt because there are enough in place. He said they just have to observe the policy of “Pulis na malinis, maagap at magalang (Clean, prompt and respectful Policemen).”

Meanwhile, P/Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil, Director for Region 1, expressed full confidence in the province’s new police chief.

“There is no doubt that Nerez  can succeed in leading the PNP Provincial Command with his wide and vast experienced in crime busting, intelligence work and administration.”—EVA/APE

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