President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday sacked the chief of police of Bacolod City and four others for alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Duterte, in a speech, fired Senior Supt. Francisco Ebreo, Bacolod City chief of police; Supt. Richie Makilan Yatar, Supt. Nasruddin Daud Tayuan, Supt. Victor Paulino, and SSupt. Allan Rubi Macapagal.

“I’d like to know if the chief of police is here. If you are here kindly stand up because you are fired as of this moment,” Duterte said at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.

“In your involvement in drugs and making the people of Bacolod miserable, I am relieving and dismissing you from the service as of now, Senior Superintendent Francis Ebreo,” he said.

Duterte also announced the dismissal of four other police officials.

“Then you have Superintendent Tayuan... And Superintendent Yatar... And there is Victor Paulino, police SI... Macapagal, you are out,” he said.

The Presidential Communication Operations Office said Duterte ordered the police officers to report to his office on Monday at 2 p.m.

The President said these policemen are protecting the drug syndicate in the city.

“But these persons that I have mentioned have something to do with the interest of the city...you are protecting, or you are in cahoots with the drug syndicate in the city,” he said.

In a radio interview, Western Visayas Police Regional Director John Bulalacao said he was surprised and saddened about the pronouncement of the President as Ebreo has been a good officer in Bacolod City.

He said Ebreo has imposed discipline among the policemen in Bacolod. Ella Dionisio/DMS