NBI chemist, 2 others sacked over lost shabu

The chief of the Forensic Chemistry Division (FCD) of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and two of his men were ordered relieved and charged administratively by NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco following the disappearance of 7.37 kilos of shabu under their custody.

Ordered relieved and charged with gross neglect of duty and misconduct before the Office of the Ombdusman were acting FCD chief Idabel Pagulayan; NBI-Dangerous Drugs Division section chief Constancia Salonga; and evidence custodian designate Lucia Gonzales.

According to Wycoco, the three were relieved of their responsibilities and were made to account for their negligence and administrative lapses.

"Alternately, the three have keys to the evidence room. At the moment, we’re finished with the administrative part of the investigation. We will still work on with the criminal aspect," said Wycoco.

Wycoco said that a polygraph test conducted on Pagulayan, Salonga and Gonzales showed that the three were not involved in the actual act of pilferage.

"They passed the tests, meaning they did not take the drugs. We still have to find out who took the drugs. We will have to look into the logbooks and find out who were the ones who brought these during court hearings," said Wycoco.

Wycoco said those still under investigation for possible involvement in the pilferage are all members of the NBI’s Special Task Force who initially got hold of the drug haul and members of the NBI’s Technical Service.

In his report to Wycoco, NBI deputy director of intellignece services and head of the investigation committee Samuel Ong said that a re-weighing of the drug haul showed that only 7.37 kilos of shabu worth P14 million were missing from the total 247.58 kilos of shabu recovered by STF agents from a unit of the Somerset Mansions in Pasay City on Dec. 26, 2000.

The loss of the drugs, was discovered after Pasay City Regional Trial Court Judge Cesar Ylagan ordered the destruction of the substance which was part of about 250 kilos of shabu seized from a condominium unit registered to a certain Sandra Lim at the Somerset Mansions on Leveriza St., Pasay City, on Dec. 26, 2000.

The drugs were deposited at the evidence room of the NBI dangerous drugs section, forensic chemistry division.

In his report to Ylagan, dated May 2, deputy sheriff Rodolfo Toledana said the drugs were supposed to be transported to the boiler incinerator of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa City for destruction.