Purisima orders thorough probe of arrested CIDG officer

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima yesterday ordered a thorough investigation into the case of the Pampanga chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), who managed to stay in the police force despite a previous criminal case.

Purisima instructed the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management to review the background and cases of Chief Inspector Bienvenido Reydado, who was arrested along with six civilian cohorts for allegedly recycling shabu they seized from suspected Chinese drug lords, according to Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP public information head.

Purisima, according to Sindac, wanted to know why Reydado was able to go back to the police service. “In fact, he knows also of another incident where his name was also involved. We would wait for the outcome of the investigation,” he said.

Reydado was arrested right inside the CIDG office in Pampanga last Monday by virtue of a search warrant for allegedly “recycling” seized illegal drugs.

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

In October 2006, The STAR reported that Reydado was among eight agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the PNP-Anti Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) who were arrested in Quezon City after they were caught in the company of a former police officer wanted for ransom kidnapping.

Reydado claimed he was cleared of the charges and maintained that he has evidence, including records of his anti-crime and anti-drug operations, which would bear him out in the proper forum.

Sindac said the apparent lack of continuity in efforts to cleanse the police organization of unscrupulous personnel is being addressed in the PNP’s transformation program.

“The lack of continuity in the plans and programs is the first problem we would like to address. And hopefully, this will be cured by our PNP Patrol Plan 2030, which is emphasized in CODE-P,” he added.

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong said Reydado would also undergo a lifestyle check.

Magalong also reminded unit commanders to strictly screen their assets to ensure they have no pending criminal charges, as Reydado was found to have employed as asset a certain Eduardson Sisracon, the second most wanted fugitive in Naic, Cavite.