PDEA monitors officials involved in illegal drugs

CEBU, Philippines – Some 20 local government officials in Cebu City and other parts of the region are now being closely monitored by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 because of reports that they are involved in the illegal drug trade.

But PDEA 7 Regional Director Adrian Alvariño refused to name these elected officials at the 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel yesterday.

Alvariño explained that PDEA 7 has nothing to do if these local government officials will run for the barangay positions during the synchronized barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on October 25.

He explained that the residents of the barangays already know the background of these persons and it is up to them whether to support these people.

Alvariño said even the drug addicts can file their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for any elective positions if they want to because the Supreme Court already ruled that requiring the candidates to submit drug test results as requirements in the filing of COCs is illegal.

The PDEA 7 top official admitted that they still need the cooperation of the public because they only have limited number of personnel and he has no intelligence funds that could be used to buy information from informers.

Also, Alvariño asked the public to help rid his office of undesirable personnel if they know that a PDEA agent is involved in any illegal activities. He said, though, that there should be a formal complaint or report about it.

Until yesterday the PDEA 7 is still waiting for the affidavit of Guillermina Barrido, the one who claimed she knew of a PDEA agent who protects Joavan Fernandez's involvement in the illegal drugs trade.

Joavan is the son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez who has always been involved in different cases from possession of illegal drugs, illegal possession of guns to grave threats.

Alvariño said he will not allow his personnel to be lined up in front of Barrido only to be falsely pinpointed as culprits unless if she will make her accusation formal by issuing a sworn statement.

Meanwhile, the director of a Cebu-based drug rehabilitation center expressed his belief that nobody would like to accept Joavan for drug rehabilitation because he is a controversial figure.

Vicente "Tico" Aldanese, director of We Do Recover Inc., said he expects mediamen to follow Joavan all the time, which might expose the identities of drug dependents in the center.

"In my case, I don't want to accept high profile drug dependents," Aldanese said. (FREEMAN)