Arrest of PDEA agent affects PNP

CEBU, Philippines - The arrest of an agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 in Bohol last Sunday would affect the trust of informants towards law enforcement agencies, said Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, director of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO).

 Comendador said the incident might prevent informants from giving information.

“Naa unta’y info but tungod sa ilang kabalaka basin dunay involvement maong mag-doubt na,” he said.

Law enforcers should be at the forefront of the campaign against illegal activity but Steven Valles, an agent of the PDEA-7, was arrested by the Bohol Provincial Police Office with three large packs and a medium packet of shabu in Barangay Poblacion 2, Tagbilaran City.

Valles was monitored by the operatives on his involvement in illegal drug activities, which was confirmed a week before his arrest. He was handcuffed when an asset successfully transacted P80,000 worth of illegal drugs.

Also confiscated from him was a .45 caliber, a magazine with 13 live rounds, four cellular phones, his PDEA badge and cash amounting to P160,250 in various bills.

For Comendador, coordination between the two heads of the units should have been made.

“We are not perfect and if somebody is involved, offenders must face necessary charges kay maybe makadismaya sa perception sa ubang tao,” he said.

In Cebu province, the provincial director has been receiving reports about some of his personnel being involved in illegal drugs but the information turned out to be wrong.

“Work-related irregularities and lapses ra nuon but wa pa’y na validate sa complaint nga dunay pulis nga namaligya ug drugs,” Comendador said.

Meanwhile, an alleged noted pusher in barangay Poblacion, Asturias was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Asturias Thursday morning.

Almost 40 packs of shabu were confiscated from Roboam Aguanta, 32, who just arrived from buying shabu.

Inspector Danilo Santillan, chief of the Asturias Police Station, said that Aguanta was about to repack the illegal drugs when the poseur-buyer made the transaction.

Aguanta tops the watch list of the PNP-Asturias, said Santillan.

The police have difficulty in arresting the suspect since he was not regularly distributing shabu.

“On and off lang siya pero kusog iyang baligya kung dunay okasyon or weekends,” Santillan said.

Aguanta is now detained at the Asturias police stockade. Charges for Sections 5 and 11 of RA 9165 was filed yesterday morning at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. (FREEMAN)