Wiretapping of suspects in illegal drug trade sought

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, vowed on Monday to help the law enforcement agencies to strengthen their operations by enacting a law that will allow wiretapping of suspects involved in illegal drug trade.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima  and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Arturo Cacdac sought the senator’s help in empowering them to legalize wiretapping in view of its intensified drug operations.

The Senate passed a bill allowing the wiretapping of drug suspects in the last Congress during the watch of Sen. Gregorio Honasan as chairperson of the Senate committee on public order.  It was not approved into law because a counterpart measure was not passed at the House of Representatives.

Cacdac and Purisima also gave the senator an overview of the operations of a Mexican drug cartel, which the local police recently busted in their operations. The two top officials argued that the enforcers can better monitor drug activities if they can eavesdrop into the operations of suspected drug lords and masterminds, a practice which has been legalized in the United States.

Cacdac and Purisima downplayed possibilities that the Philippine will become a narco state.

“We had a banner year for anti-drugs. Last year we recovered only 112 kilos. This year we confiscated about 832 kilos, which is 600 percent more than the previous year,” Cacdac said.

“We are on top of the situation. We are not worried that the drug situation will not worsen,” Cacdac said.

Purisima shared the same sentiment that the law enforcement agencies  have placed the drug situation under control. “There will be no let up in the campaign against the drug cartels,” the PNP chief said.

On the Justice Department’s move to summon Batangas Vice Gov. Antonio Mark Leviste, Cacdac said PDEA has filed charges on the three arrested suspects at the LPL ranch in Batangas.

“Initially, we were informed that Torres is leasing the land from LPL ranch. We have subpoenaed the records,” Cacdac said.

Poe noted that the members of the Mexican drug cartel had started to establish links with some personalities abroad. She said she wants to know why Torres chose the LPL ranch in particular for their anti-drug operations in the province.

Purisima was quick to point out the investigators have no evidence to link the vice governor to the Mexican drug cartel.

“We don’t have evidence yet saying that vice governor is linked. It just so happened they rented the area. By just renting (out), it doesn’t mean (the vice governor) is linked to the (cartel),” Purisima said.

“We have not established any links and we are still investigating it,” Purisima added.

Purisima maintained the police and the PDEA are conducting deeper follow up investigation on the drug cartel issue.