‘Shabu’ cop surrenders

A rookie policeman caught on camera while sniffing shabu inside a police precinct in Pasig City surrendered yesterday to his superiors.

PO1 Samuel Quiteves, a night-shift investigator of the Police Community Precinct 6 in Barangay Palatiw, admitted he was the policeman shown in the TV program Imbestigador last June 19.

Metro police chief Director Ricardo de Leon and Chief Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), presented Quiteves to the media yesterday.

Following the admission of Quiteves that he was hooked on illegal drugs, De Leon ordered the mandatory drug testing of the entire Pasig City police force.

"We strongly believe that there are other drug users in the Pasig police force so we decided to conduct a drug test among them to ferret out the erring policemen," said De Leon, adding that drug testing on other police units in Metro Manila would follow.

In the TV program, Quiteves, who was in full uniform, was caught on camera holding a foil and water pipe and sniffing shabu. He was with two civilian companions.

It was revealed that Quiteves would take shabu before reporting for duty.

Accompanied by his mother and barangay chairman Eriberto Gueverra, Quiteves surrendered to his superior, SPO1 Rufino Dancel, and admitted he was the policeman sniffing shabu.

Police also arrested yesterday Joseph Valera, and Jay Sison, both barangay tanods of Barangay Palatiw, who was with Quiteves during the session. Appropriate charges are being readied against them.

De Leon said administrative charges will be filed against Quiteves.

In the presence of De Leon and Valenzuela, six other members of the PCP 6 submitted urine samples yesterday to the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) of the EPD.

Drug testing on the five other police precincts and those assigned at the Pasig City police headquarters is expected to follow. — Non Aquiltran