MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has dismissed from police service two ranking officials he earlier accused of protecting the illegal drug trade.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the Office of the Executive Secretary signed last Thursday papers approving the dismissal from police service of former National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao and former Quezon City Police District (QCPD) head Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio.

Abella said the two policemen were dismissed after being found administratively liable for serious neglect of duty and serious irregularity in the performance of their duties.

“Evidence shows both generals deliberately refused, without cause, to perform their duties as police officers, resulting in the proliferation of drug in their areas of jurisdiction,” Abella said in a news conference in Malacañang on Monday.

Pagdilao and Tinio were among the officials publicly accused by Duterte last year of protecting the drug trade.

The others were Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz, and retired Chief Superintendent Vicente Loot and Marcelo Garbo.

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Both Tinio and Pagdilao had denied Duterte’s allegation.