Robocop is new Cotabato police chief

KIDAPAWAN CITY – The new police provincial director of North Cotabato province is known as the Robocop, a fiction character from a 1987 American cyberpunk action film that centers on a police officer who is brutally murdered by a gang of criminals and subsequently revived as a superhuman law enforcer. The character is named Alex Murphy. And the newly-installed officer-in-charge of the Cotabato Police Provincial Office (CPPO) is also named Alex. He is Senior Superintendent Alexander Tagum, former operative of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) who led the arrest of CIDG-Pampanga chief in March 2014 for alleged illegal drug trafficking and for keeping loose firearms and ammunition. Tagum was also responsible for the apprehension of a customs officer at the National Capital Region believed involved in extortion activities. After his assignment at the NCR, he was appointed as the regional director of CIDG-Northern Mindanao based in Cagayan de Oro City. Tagum has also led several operations against drug traffickers in the region. Tagum, during the turnover of command on Thursday, said that he will lead the mandatory drug tests among policemen in his area-of-responsibility (AoR). This is going to be a continuing program under my leadership.I will lead in the drug test.This is to determine if my men are involved or using illegal drugs, definitely, if they’re using drugs, then, they have no business to wear their police uniform,” Tagum told DXND AM Radyo Bida. If there are evidences linking his men into drug trafficking, he said he will lead in the filing of appropriate charges against them. I will go after them.Wherever the hunt leads us. I will have to push him outside of the PNP,” he stressed. It is apparently unacceptable for Tagum to wage a province-wide war against illegal drugs if men are involved in it. When I took this [police] badge and swore as officer, I said to myself, that without fear or favor, I will implement the law.Because if I can’t do it, then, I will have to resign,” he said. Reports reaching Tagum said that a number of policemen operating in the province are tagged as protectors of shabutiangge in towns of Matalam and Kabacan As proof, he also led the arrest of a police officer in Cagayan de Oro City for his alleged involvement in drug trade, saying, I have handled similar cases in Cagayan de Oro where even members of the police are now inside a lockup cell.These men are involved in drug trade.I will also run after these kinds of criminals in our province.I will initiate a province-wide all-out-war against illegal drugs.” A Robocop is a superhuman character. But Tagum is not superhuman just like Robocop. When I started my job, I know that my other foot is already under my grave.So I just have to protect myself.That is one of the risks I always have to take,” he said. Tagum comes from a family of police officers. His father was former provincial police director of North Cotabato.His brother was also a police operative.Both of them already died.