The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Thursday warned the public against unscrupulous individuals who introduce thAemselves as PDEA agents involved in criminal activities.
PDEA Director General Aaron N. Aquino reiterated the warning considering the recent arrest of a suspect posing as a PDEA agent and his female companion during a shootout in Parañaque City last Feb. 24.
Investigation showed that Jhay-R Repana, 31, the alleged PDEA agent and a resident of Masville Compound, Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City; and Rosemimi Facal, 30, of Lizardo Compound, Bayanan, Taguig City, were involved in a shooting incident along Dr. A. Santos Avenue, Gate 2 of Loyola Memorial Park, Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City.
According to a witness, the pair, who was onboard a Mitsubishi Lancer with plate number XHU-835, figured in a shootout with another vehicle that wounded Repana’s left leg.
During a follow-up operation, elements of Parañaque City Police Station discovered Repana and Facal’s vehicle parked near the Sta. Rosa Hospital, Laguna that led to their arrest.
When inspected by the Scene of the Crime Operatives Team of Police Regional Office 4A, the vehicle yielded one caliber .38 revolver with pieces of ammunition, and one plastic sachet containing suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, with one improvised tooter and lighter.
Repana identified himself as a PDEA operative and showed his identification card to the arresting authorities.
Repana and Facal will face charges of violation of Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Additional charges for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, usurpation of authority, alarm and scandal, will also be filed against them.
“It comes as no surprise that there are people who misrepresent themselves as PDEA agents or as members of other law enforcement units to perform their illegal activities,” Aquino said in a statement.
“Our agents have undergone rigorous training for months, imbibing in them the core values of the PDEA organization. We will not tolerate unscrupulous people who pretend to be our agents and tarnish the Agency’s integrity just like that,” he added.
Last Feb. 4, closed-circuit television cameras in Barangay Ususan, Taguig City captured persons wearing PDEA uniforms while dragging along alleged drug personalities and riding aboard two vehicles.
However, the same group managed to elude arrest after authorities pursued them in the same barangay two weeks later.
“PDEA is continuously intensifying its internal cleansing program as part of its commitment to weed out erring agents and personnel involved in the illegal drug trade and other anomalous activities,” Aquino added.
The agency urges the public to immediately report individuals introducing themselves as PDEA agents while committing a criminal act.
To send reports to PDEA 24/7 Text Hotlines, text the following hotline numbers: For SMART subscribers—0999-888 PDEA (7332); for Sun subscribers—0925-573 PDEA (7332); for Globe subscribers—0927-915-0616.