Gutierrez admits he is under probe

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Jose Gutierrez admitted yesterday that Malacañang has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate him following allegations that his wife has a gambling problem.

“There is an investigation, they are looking into all issues. I am open to it and I am not hiding anything. I have asked our personnel to cooperate in the investigation,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a House of Representatives budget hearing.

He said the Malacañang has asked the NBI to finish its inquiry in one week. NBI agents went to the PDEA headquarters Monday. “If President Aquino tells me to go, then I will have to go,” he said.

Asked whether his wife is a heavy gambler, Gutierrez said, “That’s something personal to us. Though I have said I don’t tolerate it because I don’t gamble.”

There are reports that President Aquino and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. have been receiving information about the gambling problem of a top PDEA official’s wife, who allegedly borrows money from the agency’s employees to fund her addiction.

Asked why Ochoa has relieved PDEA deputy director general Carlos Gadapan, Gutierrez said, “That’s Malacañang’s order reportedly for loss of confidence, I don’t want to speculate.”

However, he said the reasons behind Gadapan’s relief would be covered by the investigation.

There are speculations that Ochoa might have mistaken Gadapan as the official whose wife is a gambling addict. Ochoa is Malacañang’s anti-crime czar.