MANILA - The Philippine National Police (PNP) has shifted its focus to internal cleansing and solving homicide cases, especially those perpetrated by motorcycle-riding suspects.

This as the weight of the war on drugs has been lifted off its shoulders following President Rodrigo Duterte's order for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to take charge of the campaign.

“Kung 'yan po ay ibabalik, maaari po natin 'yang paghandaan, kung hindi man for the meantime ang utos po ni Chief PNP, babalik po tayo sa ating 8 focus crimes, enhance managing police operations, our internal cleansing, focusing on motorcycle-riding suspects, 'yung aming defensive positions sa aming facilities against attacks from armed groups, solve these remaining (homicide) incidents,” said PNP Spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos.

Following Duterte's order, the PNP has terminated its house-to-house "knock and plead" anti-drug campaign "Oplan Tokhang."

PNP data showed that there have been a total of 10,354 homicide cases under investigation (HCUI) recorded from July 1, 2016, when the Duterte administration took over, until Oct. 18 this year.

The police force welcomed the PNP Internal Affairs Service's (IAS) nationwide inspection and audit of HCUI and cases involving motorcycle riding suspects.

IAS is set to conduct a special inspection and audit in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Luzon to find out if police are able to solve cases.

The assessment comes after PNP data showed that the three regions had the highest rates of HCUI and incidents attributed to motorcycle-riding suspects.

In Metro Manila, the PNP-IAS will first audit Caloocan, where officers were recently replaced over teen killings in suspicious police operations.

• Duterte to cops: 'Unlawful killing' not allowed

If proven that police stations have not acted on homicides, its chiefs, district, regional and provincial directors may face charges of serious neglect of duty.

“Mandate po nila 'yon, para po kung matingnan nila kung nasusunod iyong ating panuntunan so we will respect that. If there are members ng PNP na hindi tumatalima sa ating direktiba, maaari po silang makasuhan ng Internal Affairs Service," Carlos said.

PNP TO HELP GATHER DRUG INTEL, UNDERTAKE OPERATIONS VS SCALAWAGS

Meanwhile, PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa has ordered the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) to help the PDEA gather drug-related intelligence and to conduct joint operations with the PNP Counter Intelligence Task Force (CITF) to catch police scalawags.

“Instruction ni Chief PNP, PDEG, [we] will get drug information, and pass it to PDEA. And in addition, they will be helping the CITF in our internal cleansing operations,” Carlos said.

Chief Supt. Joseph Adnol, former PNP Region 10 Deputy Regional Director for Administration, is set to assume his new role as PNP-DEG director.

Adnol said he will take this time to assess his unit to make sure officers are ready if they are again called to enforce the war on drugs.

Outgoing PNP-DEG Director Chief Supt. Graciano Jaylo Mijares has been assigned as Regional Director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.