PDEA agent in buy-bust cleared by his superiors?

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines – Even before his case could become a full blown legal battle in court, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 agent Steven Valles of Toledo City who was caught last August 5 at the K of C Drive here for allegedly pushing illegal drug in an entrapment operation, may have been absolved by his superiors.

PDEA-7 deputy regional director Levi Ortiz and its legal counsel Mauro Lisen said, in a press conference held at JJ Seafood Restaurant the other day that the Internal Affairs Section (IAS) of the agency has recommended, through a resolution, for declaring Valles did not trade the alleged drugs or that “there was no buy-bust.”

Ortiz told the media that PDEA director general Jose Gutierrez, Jr. had approved the said resolution, while Lisen said it was an offshoot to the findings of the fact-finding team created by the agency and based on revelation of Valles and other evidences.

Both PDEA-7 officers did not give details how the resolution came about and neither were they able to provide copy of it to reporters, saying they were not able to bring one.

The police raiding police team seized from Valles a large plastic transparent cellophane containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu—a haul estimated to be about P100,000, which was the biggest so far, said the police.

The haul contained in three pages of inventory documents. These were: Three large plastic cellophanes and one medium plastic believed to contain shabu substance, which are now subject to laboratory tests; one .45 caliber pistol HS 2000 (with serial number R550030); one .45 caliber magazine; 13 rounds of live ammunitions of .45 caliber; four cell phones-–-one Samsung and three Nokia brands; four padlocks; one PDEA badge (with No. 0320); one ballpen; cash amounting to P160,250 in various paper bills; one black wallet, one black coin purse, and a McJim classic brown.

Another page of the inventory papers included several identification cards and PDEA ID named I01 Steven L. Valles; one firearm license card named in his name; one PDEA tag card with Number 012; professional driver’s license; and several other ATM cards of different banks.

Third page of the inventory included two ID lending cards named or alias “Jake V. Rosales but indicating the picture of Steven Valles;” one sheet of PDEA letter order OR No. 0711-018 dated July 11, 2011 in the name of Steven Valles; one sheet of PDEA firearm memorandum receipt in his name dated June 2011; a piece of sketch map; a machine copy of OR of motorcycle plate No. 5492 YD; and cash allegedly used in the buy-bust operation, among others.

The inventory (from Valles) was signed by Insp Jovito Atanacio, mediamen Willy Mestrado of DyRD, Dave Charles Responte of DyTR, Zacarias Castro of Dept. of Justice; Barangay Councilmen Virgilio Balon and Jordan Borces.

PDEA representative, Intelligence Officer Ricardo Palapar did not affixed his signature in the inventory of confiscated paraphernalia from Valles, and the certificate of inventory was marked “refused to sign” of Palapar.

No retaliation vs. PNP

It was exactly 38 days yesterday (Sept. 12) since Valles was entrapped when his “being cleared” came up as the PDEA tried to dispel talks and speculations that it has retaliated against the PNP when they did a buy-bust operation against a certain Sherwin Bautista for allegedly pushing “shabu” in Loon town during fiesta.

Bautista was reportedly an asset of the police, as claimed by Bohol Police provincial director Constantino Barot. Bautista a native of Inabanga town has allegedly provided the police with marked money in the conduct of entrapment against Valles.

Ortiz and Lisen however dismissed the speculation that the arrest of Bautista was a form of retaliation on the part of the PDEA.

Both explained that Bautista has been on surveillance for more than a year by PDEA operatives even before Valles was caught. It appeared then that the entrapment of Valles was a just an alleged “ploy” or “pre-emptive” act on the part of the PNP, Lisen inferred.

PDEA officers said that in the Bautista case they were just doing their job, which is to run after drug dealers especially in Tagbilaran City.

Ortiz and Lisen insisted that the entrapment of Bautista, who was considered a “high value target” due to his being allegedly linked with an organized “network” in drug trade in the province, was a result of a tedious monitoring of him and that buy-bust operation it conducted was legitimate and “consummated.”

They dismissed insinuations that it was not a buy-bust operation against Bautista since he was arrested just minutes from where the buy-bust took place not far from where he was arrested. Bautista was about to ride in his motorcycle for a motocross event during the Loon town fiesta last Sept. 8 when he was encircled by several armed men of PDEA including members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines based here.

Citing implementing rules and regulations pursuant to comprehensive drug law in the conduct of buy-bust operation, Lisen explained that it is not necessary that the apprehension of a suspect should be made right there and then if the situation does not warrant. It can also be done even after few minutes or hours for as long as the deal was consummated.

The PDEA officers came to Tagbilaran from Cebu City, just to file charges against Bautista in court. Bautista is now behind bars at Camp Dagohoy. - THE FREEMAN