Second District Congressman Erico Aristotle Aumentado said that retired Police Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo, former director of Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, rightfully belongs in President Rodrigo Duterte’s “narco generals” list.

According to Aumentado, drug trade started to thrive in the province when Garbo oversaw the police force in the entire Central Visayas which includes the provinces of Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol, and up until 2015, Negros Oriental.

Garbo, who is the highest-ranking officer among the five accused generals, neglected illegal drug activities when he was at the helm of PRO 7 contributing to the proliferation of drug syndicates in Bohol, said Aumentado.

Even then-provincial director of the Bohol police, Sr. Supt Constantino Barot, was unable to act on the surging illegal drug activities in the province as Garbo allegedly ordered subordinates to disregard narcotics operations.

Police officials who implement anti-illegal drug campaigns in Bohol were reportedly reassigned to other provinces by Garbo to protect drug activities.

Aumentado cited Police Supt. Nicomedes Olaivar and his men as among those who were reassigned from Bohol to another province under Garbo’s watch.

The congressman added that he has documents from 2011 until 2013 which prove that some drug personalities apprehended during the time were not charged for their alleged violations.

Aumentado, during his last election campaign, had cited the inaction of Garbo as a top police official in relation to illegal drug trade.

With Duterte’s revelation of the high-ranking policemen’s alleged involvement in narcotics trade, the congressman is optimistic that more illegal activities and inaction of officials, including elected ones, will be unearthed. (with reports from Allen Doydora)