No less than Chief Superintendent Reynor Gonzales, director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Narcotics Group (NarcGroup), made the admission when asked to comment on the alleged links between a Hong Kong drug triad and local drug lords.
"We do not have operations as big as the triads’," Gonzales told reporters who wanted to know what he thought of NarcGroup agents acting as "troubleshooters" for the triads.
Gonzales blamed the failure of the NarcGroup in neutralizing big-time drug lords on the lack of an efficient network of informants among his men and their counterparts at the local level.
He also complained the NarcGroup no longer has enough resources when compared to the time of former NarcGroup director Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Acop, who has been accused of drug trafficking by former undercover agent Mary "Rosebud" Ong.
"We do not have informants like Mary Ong who had an agent’s contract. We worked only on the information provided by our informants. We pay for every information we get. The play here is who gets the best information and acquires good sources," he added.
Gonzales admitted that Ong’s charge was a big blow to anti-drug operations during his watch despite the fact the NarcGroup had seized 1,100 kilograms of illegal drugs in 1995, or about 220 kilos per year.
He further claimed that half of this haul, or only about 600 kilos of narcotics, were seized by the NarcGroup.
Chavez made the denial in a statement yesterday, a day after Senior Inspector Florentino Bagallon, in a Senate hearing, linked the seized shabu to Wong, Sen. Panfilo Lacson and former Manila police director Chief Superintendent Avelino Razon
"Mr. Kim Wong was nowhere near the Narcissus KTV, which he does not own, when the operation allegedly conducted by Police Senior Inspector Bagallon and his men took place back in 1997," Chavez said. He also added that they have doubts whether the alleged "inspection" really took place, as claimed by Bagallon, noting that there were inconsistencies in Bagallon’s statements.
"Bagallon claims that they also inspected the Top Ten Seafood Restaurant supposedly located below Narcissus KTV. We double-checked and we were able to establish that in 1997, the establishment in the said place was the Richback Restaurant," he pointed out.
"He also claims that during the time of the alleged operation at Narcissus KTV, my client called someone on the phone and was looking for a certain Ping, obviously referring to Sen. Panfilo Lacson. How could he look for Lacson when they have not even met and did not even know each other personally in 1997? They only met in 1999," Chavez said.
Bagallon testified before the Senate on Wednesday that when he was still chief of the Manila City Hall Anti-Crime and Inspection Office, he inspected Narcissus and found the shabu but Wong allegedly telephoned a "Colonel Razon" and "Ping" to stop the raid.
Bagallon also claimed that the club at that time employed undocumented aliens as guest relations officers. The GROs were supposedly brought into the country by a certain Willy Keng.
"I suggest that the government investigate Kim Wong and this Willy Keng because human smuggling is a very serious problem. We should look into foreigners applying for investors’ visas and check what kind of business they are really establishing here," Bagallon said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta that she would be willing to cross party-lines in ferreting the truth on charges that Lacson was involved in drug trafficking.
Oreta said in Angeles City that "it was the first time that Lacson was directly linked" to allegations that he was involved in drug trafficking while he was still Philippine National Police chief.
"But definitely, all seem agreed that Senator Lacson should also be given his day in court and face his accusers. It cannot be a one-sided issue," she told Angeles City newsmen. – With Ding Cervantes