Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Dionisio Santiago yesterday denied allegations that his men were involved in a robbery in Pasig City earlier this week.
“We had knocked off many big syndicates and now they are getting back at us. There is an effort to destabilize PDEA and they do it by making up stories against our men,” Santiago said in a phone interview.
Last Wednesday, Norhaya Matanog told Pasig City police that about 10 to 15 men who introduced themselves as members of PDEA entered his house and allegedly took an undetermined amount of money and belongings, as well as six new Nokia cell phone units worth P50,000.
Santiago said another possibility is those involved in the robbery incident were former anti-narcotics agents who used the name of the PDEA in their crimes. He believes most former policemen who were dismissed from service are now linked to drug syndicates.
“The best way to discredit the agency is to destroy my name (and that) of PDEA. I think they are also doing a background check on me and my family so they could find a way to attack me,” Santiago, former Armed Forces chief, said.
He said an example of the “black propaganda” against him is the issue on the hiring of his sibling as a lawyer for Yu Yuk Lai, the alleged “drug queen” who was arrested in 1998 for carrying three kilos of shabu and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001.
“I know those behind these destabilization efforts against me and PDEA but I won’t name them yet,” Santiago said, hinting that his suspects include officials who also desire his post.
Santiago said they are coordinating with the Pasig police and vowed to clear the reputation of his men. – Edu Punay