THE operatives who will compose the reactivated Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will undergo human rights seminars, a police official said.
Superintendent Artemio Ricabo, the CCPO deputy director for administration, said the Commission on Human Rights-Central Visayas personnel will handle the lectures.
"They will be refreshed on the rights of every individual that should not be violated by a police officer," he said.
Body cameras will be used in their operations to record the operations.
DEUs of CCPO and 11 police stations will conduct full-blown drug operations next week.
Around 30 to 50 personnel compose the CCPO's DEU, while every police station has five members.
Some of the DEU members are new.
The other operatives who are handling several drug cases were advised not to go on operations, so they can focus on the cases.
Ricabo said CCPO welcomes the P50,000 legal aid promised by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to any police officer who can kill a pusher in a legitimate drug bust.
The police official suggested that they would be glad to accept pro bono lawyers who can assist in the cases filed against drug personalities and cases filed against police officers.
"Mas nindot gani abogado na lay ihatag ba kay P50,000, in the long run, bunot ra gihapon ang polis," Ricabo said.
He said they do not encourage their police officers to kill pushers or other criminals.
"Mahitabo lang na kon in danger na ang ilang kinabuhi, kumbag mosukol na gyod atong suspek, wa tay mahimo kay we have to preserve our lives," Ricabo said.
"Mas maayo pa mabuhi. We have encouraged our police personnel to follow the rules of engagement and respect human rights," he added.
The police are back in the war on drugs, after President Rodrigo Duterte issued an order last October 10, instructing Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as the sole agency to carry out drug busts.
Last December 5, Duterte allowed the police to have an active participation again, but PDEA is still the lead agency.
In Cebu City, eighteen users and a pusher facing warrants of arrest were caught from October 11 until December 12.
CCPO operatives seized 33.46 grams of white crystals believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, worth P394,828, a Dangerous Drugs Board value. (KAL/VoxPop Cebu)