A view of the Capitol of Palau in Ngerulmud.
KOROR (Island Times/Pacnews) — The Palau Senate Judiciary and Governmental Affairs Committee conducted a public hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 11 2024, to address the island nation’s escalating drug crisis.
Ministry of Justice officials, alongside senators and behavioral health experts, pressed for an official declaration of a national emergency to combat the epidemic.
Chief Everlynn Temengil from Behavioral Health led calls for more resources and manpower, urging the government to act swiftly.
Vice President and Minister of Justice Uduch Sengebau Senior voiced frustration with the challenges faced by the country’s drug enforcement.
She specifically referenced a statement made by Bureau of Customs and Border Protection Director John Tarkong Jr., which she claimed undermined the credibility of law enforcement by “falsely implying discrepancies in drug seizure reports.”
“It is damaging to law enforcement and hinders our efforts,” Sengebau said, calling for the statement to be stricken from the record.
The Senate hearing highlighted significant gaps in Palau’s ability to combat the growing drug problem, with Sengebau proposing stricter measures for law enforcement personnel.
“Addiction requires treatment, but it cannot be tolerated within the police force,” she stated, suggesting that officers who test positive for drugs should be immediately terminated.
The Ministry of Justice is also grappling with a shortage of staff, with the drug enforcement team operating at less than half its required size.
Kenny Sengebau, chief of the Transnational Crime Unit, said only eight officers are currently assigned to drug cases, far short of the 14 to 15 needed.
The Attorney General’s Office, too, is strained, with just one prosecutor dedicated to handling drug cases.
“We need more prosecutors and stronger collaboration between law enforcement and the judiciary,” said Attorney General Ernestine Rengiil.
The lack of a local crime lab compounds the problem, with drugs being sent to Guam for testing, delaying prosecution and causing some cases to be dismissed for exceeding the 70-day trial mandate.
The Senate hearing further revealed troubling issues within the police force. Sgt. Virginia Umayam, who oversees the MOJ’s drug testing program, reported that several officers tested positive for drugs in 2022, but continued working due to legal protections.
She reiterated the need for policy reforms, saying, “Stricter policies are essential to maintaining public trust and ensuring accountability within the force.”
Senator Hokkons Baules emphasized the urgency of the crisis, saying that Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. should take more decisive action.
“The President needs to put more effort into addressing the drug crisis,” Baules stated, echoing the sentiment of many lawmakers who view the situation as critical.
For their part, law enforcement officials are urging lawmakers to strengthen laws against police officers who test positive for illegal drugs. They also called for higher standards and the immediate termination of those involved.
Rengiil, Sengebau-Senior and police officers themselves urged the senators to amend the law that allows government employees, including law enforcement officers, who test positive for illegal drugs to undergo rehabilitation and return to work upon its completion.
They said allowing officers who tested positive to return to duty undermines morale and fosters public distrust in law enforcement.
Sengebau-Senior said officers should be held to a higher standard as they are entrusted with enforcing the law.
Sengebau said public safety is at risk when armed officers who have tested positive for illegal drugs are allowed to continue their duties.
A police officer, who declined to be identified, said ongoing cases and investigations are jeopardized when drug-using officers collude with drug dealers.
“They reveal police activities to their suppliers and endanger the lives of investigators by disclosing who we are,” the officer stated.
Law enforcement officials requested the Olbiil Era Kelulau, Palau’s National Congress, to make the laws stricter, requiring immediate termination of any law enforcement officer who tests positive for illegal drugs.
Additionally, they called for increasing penalties for drug use convictions, including denying parole to those convicted of drug possession and trafficking.
Senator Secilil Eldebechel, chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Affairs, sought other recommendations to improve law enforcement and address the drug crisis.
In his remarks, he stated, “Our goal is to explore the political landscape and the policies that have guided our response to this epidemic. Are our current frameworks sufficient? How can we strengthen collaboration among our governmental bodies to implement effective prevention and rehabilitation strategies? This hearing should be a call to serious action, not just a platform for discussion.”
