The Davao City Police Office will review the screening procedure in hiring police auxiliary following the arrest of one of its volunteers in a drug buy-bust last Monday.
Col. Alexander Tagum, Davao City Police Office director, identified the suspect as Edmundo Biojon Jr., 35, a resident of SIR Sandawa, Barangay 76-A, assigned as the police auxiliary member in the San Pedro Police Station.
Tagum said in the second week of August, the intelligence personnel of San Pedro police received a tip from the barangay chairman of 76-A, Rolando Trajera, that the suspect has been spotted in their village selling and using illegal drugs.
Intelligence operatives vetted the information and interviewed residents who confirmed the tip by Trajera.
The suspect was arrested after he handed a transparent plastic sachet containing suspected shabu to a police operative in exchange of P2,000 along Topaz Street, Marfori Subdivision, Barangay 9-A, Davao City.
He said the suspect was previously arrested on March 15, 2015 in another buy-bust operation by the Talomo Police Station. He availed of a plea bargaining last Feb. 12, 2019 and underwent rehab in Barangay 76-A. He asked for help from Trajera to find a job.
Trajera recommended him to the San Pedro Police Station as a volunteer police auxiliary. He was hired on Aug. 1 after he handed his NBI clearance and barangay clearance.
Capt. Nolan Tagsip, spokesperson of the Davao City Police Office, said they have one-strike policy on police auxiliary members who are involved in crimes.
Right now, they are reviewing the procedures on why people with criminal records are able to pass through the screening process.
Brig. Gen. Marcelo C. Morales, regional police director, said the arrested suspect was hired as a police auxiliary in August 2019. He commended the police for arresting the suspect.
“Our relentless efforts on anti-illegal drugs campaign is in line with our mission to give a safe, secured and peaceful life for everyone,” he said.
