PDEA faces budget cut over complaints vs new chief

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile threatened Friday to slash by half the P679.37-million budget of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency over complaints against PDEA Director General Jose Gutierrez.

Enrile summoned Gutierrez and other top PDEA officials to his office Thursday to get their side after PDEA agents, believed to be allied with former PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago, alleged that Gutierrez has been singling them out.

Sources said Enrile also confronted PDEA officials about a complaint filed by an agent, identified only as Purigay, before the Civil Service Commission.

Purigay reportedly faces dismissal after he tested positive in a random drug test. The agent disputed the findings and had himself tested by a private firm, which found him negative for drug use.

Purigay sought an audience with Enrile, who is his province mate in Cagayan.

A PDEA official confirmed they were indeed summoned to Enrile’s office, but refused to divulge more information since the meeting was supposedly confidential.

However, a source said Enrile told the PDEA officials to shape up or face a budget cut. The Senate president is keen on diverting half of the PDEA budget to the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force, which apparently does not have enough funds for its anti-drug operations.

The Senate is still deliberating the PDEA budget as of press time.