CIDG officer, 6 civilian aides held for selling seized shabu

MANILA, Philippines - The Pampanga chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and his six civilian aides were arrested for allegedly “recycling” shabu seized from suspected drug traffickers in the province. 

Chief Inspector Bienvenido Reydado, head of CIDG-Pampanga, was found in possession of P2.6 million cash, five unlicensed high-powered firearms, 11 pistols, a rifle grenade, various magazines for different calibers, five sport utility vehicles, and two motorcycles.

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong said his men simultaneously raided the CIDG provincial office in Pampanga and Reydado’s safehouse in Barangay Panginay, Balagtas, Bulacan on Monday afternoon by virtue of search warrants issued by Quezon City Judge Bernelito Fernandez.

“There was initial resistance when our operatives informed Reydado of the search warrant. But our raiders prevailed, subdued him, searched the areas and found the items,” Magalong said in a media briefing yesterday.

Aside from Reydado, CIDG teams led by Superintendent Roberto Fajardo and Superintendent Alex Tagum also arrested six civilian agents – Adriano Laureta, Arnold Sanggalang, Pedrito Tadeo, Eric Reydado, Alberto Reydado, and Edwardson Sisracon, tagged as the second most wanted fugitive in Naic, Cavite.

Magalong said Reydado’s modus operandi was to launch operations against Chinese drug traffickers, arrest them and seize the contraband. However, Reydado’s group would merely detain the suspects in their safehouses without filing any charges against them.

“So their modus operandi is ‘agaw bato.’ They would arrest the drug traffickers, seize the shabu, which will be recycled and sold,” said Magalong, who also showed to reporters a diagram of the operations of Reydado’s group.

Magalong said Reydado’s men would negotiate for the release of the drug traffickers in exchange for the drugs and money.

Magalong refused to name Reydado’s suspected cohorts but he gave assurance that measures have been instituted to prevent other police officers from engaging in such illegal activities.

Magalong said Reydado was placed under surveillance two months ago after they got reports on his modus operandi.

During the surveillance, Magalong said Reydado apparently got wind of the operation against him, thus the CIDG teams were forced to change their approach in gathering information.

“Reydado even gave us tips on some operations (against) illegal drugs. So to mislead him and make him believe that he was not the subject of our surveillance operations, we worked on and pursued the tips he gave us. Until finally, we gathered enough evidence, which allowed us to secure search warrants and arrested him and his people,” Magalong said.

Based on the reports, Magalong said Reydado’s group had had three “big hits” and in an instance, even seized 26 kilos of shabu and two pieces of luggage containing an undetermined volume of shabu. 

Magalong said he has sacked the entire CIDG-Pampanga team for failing to prevent Reydado from his illegal activities. He appointed Chief Inspector Heryl Brun as new chief.– With Non Alquitran