PDEA-7 denies animosity with police authorities

CEBU, Philippines — In the wake of killings targeting its agents, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas said it continues to trust the police authorities.

PDEA-7 spokesperson Leia Albiar denied that there is animosity between the two law enforcement agencies.

In fact, she said the newly-installed PDEA-7 Regional Director Wardley Getalla paid a visit to the Cebu Police Provincial Office last week.

She said PDEA-7 and PNP are closely investigating the death of PDEA agent Von Rian Tecson and Senior Police Officer 1 Roderick Balili.

“We have high confidence and trust in the process of the investigation,” she said during the 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Hotel yesterday.

Tecson was shot dead by unidentified assailants about 200 meters away from his house in Barangay Perrelos, Carcar City last week. Tecson was reportedly still able to fire back at the suspects, hitting one of them.

Unverified reports are linking Balili and his companions SPO1 Jonathan Buscato and PO1 Justine Padillo to the killing of Tecson.

The shooting happened less than a month after the killing of agent Baby “Earl” Rallos in Cebu City last July 27.

Balili, on the other hand, died last Friday night after battling it out with two gunshot wounds in the chest.

Balili, Buscato and Padillo were reportedly in Pinamungajan to conduct surveillance on a high-value target. While they were on board their vehicle, the Glock pistol Balili received from his companion reportedly fired accidentally when the vehicle hit a hump on the road.

Meanwhile, despite the growing public distrust, Senior Superintendent Royina Garma, director of Cebu City Police Office, said the police authorities will continue doing their duty.

“Why should we be discouraged? It makes us do better in our job every day. Bakit ako matatakot eh, we are just doing our job, “she said.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and some netizens accused police of coddling hired killers.

Osmeña said he received information about five policemen and four civilians reportedly deployed to Cebu as “hitmen” and that he is a target.

However, this was belied by Senior Superintendent Angelito Dumangeng, PRO-7 deputy regional director for operations, saying “we categorically deny that allegation.”

He urged the mayor to provide evidence so police could conduct an investigation.

Moreover, Garma said collateral damage was inevitable in any police operations.

“We have to stop the operation because there is collateral (damage)? (Example) mayroon na nabiktima ng stray bullet? Yun ang magiging hindrance to stop our police operations? No, we will not stop, we will never stop,” she said.

She said the drug lords might be behind all of these and might be conditioning the community to “cower in fear.”

“Mas nakakatakot ang drug lords who are conditioning the mind of the people nga ‘now is the time to fear’,” she said.

Garma appealed to the Cebuanos to keep their trust in them amid reports that cops are behind the spate of killings in Cebu.

She vowed to cleanse the city from all forms of illegal drugs and criminalities.

For his part, Dumangeng said police are not affected by the tongue-lashing from Osmeña and criticisms from the public.

“We do not really pay much attention to those criticisms, we will just concentrate on our job. Trabaho lang, kasi if you get distracted, mawawala na ang momentum sa mga campaign natin” he said during yesterday’s 888 News Forum.

Just like Garma, Dumangeng promised to continue fighting criminality and terrorism.  — Irene L. Gardose and Marenyl M. Bolhano (FREEMAN)