The chief of Murcia’s municipal police station in Negros Occidental has been relieved of his post for failure to submit a report on illegal drug personalities and for having an untidy workplace.

Brig. Gen. Rene Pamuspusan, director of Police Regional Office (PRO-6), said he ordered the relief of Maj. Roberto Indiape Jr. on Monday, and transferred him to the headquarters of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.

“I inspected the Murcia police station, and I asked him to explain to me the drug situation in that area and to show me the diagram of drug personalities. Maj. Indiape was not able to discuss to me the drug situation in the municipality. Immediately, I relieved him,” Pamuspusan said in a press conference at the regional headquarters in Iloilo City on Oct. 23

He said Philippine National Police (PNP) Officer-in-Charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, has issued a directive to all unit commanders, requiring them to be ready to discuss with their superiors the illegal drug situation in their respective areas.

“We already warned them one or two days before, that this is one of the focus of our OIC. He (Indiape) was not able to do that,” he added.

Pamuspusan said that during the inspection, he also found the Murcia police station “not orderly”, which means the place is dirty, the filing system is disorganized, and the supplies are not in place.

He added that the police station should not serve as sleeping quarters or rest area.

“These things are easy to implement. For me, if a chief of police cannot maintain order in the station, how can he do his job well outside? You should clean your own backyard first. If you don’t know your targets, what’s your right to be the chief of police?” Pamuspusan said.

He said the relief of Indiape should serve as a warning to other chiefs of police.

“As I’ve said, we’re now down to ‘zero tolerance’. They have been given so many warnings. They should already understand that we mean business. I cannot understand why they refuse to do these things,” he said.

Indiape has been replaced by Maj. Robert Dejucos.PNA