Bato eyes probe on ‘reward drugs’

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa has filed a resolution seeking to investigate reports that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has been giving 30 percent of confiscated drugs to assets or informants as reward for successful seizures.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 508, Dela Rosa said he wants his public order committee to conduct a hearing on the issue.

Dela Rosa recalled that during the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs public hearing, the new modus was revealed by PDEA Director Gen. Moro Virgilio Lazo.

Lazo said instead of paying cash reward, PDEA gave informants or assets 30 percent of the total seized illegal drugs.

Dela Rosa branded as “disturbing” the alleged new policy of PDEA.

“This alleged new policy of PDEA is disturbing as this perpetuates the circulation of illegal drugs in the streets by the government agency that is tasked to fight against illegal drugs,” Dela Rosa said in his resolution.

“To continue our relentless fight against illegal drugs, there is a need to ensure that such fight must be imbued with integrity and honor, without compromising the values that our institutions and agencies stand for,” he added.

Meanwhile, PDEA agents have seized at least P592 million worth of illegal drugs in the first month of the year.

In its operational assessment report submitted to Malacanang and released on Monday, the agency also reported the arrest of 4,499 drug personalities and the filing of 7,720 drug cases.

Among narcotics seized during PDEA operations were shabu worth P403.4 million; cocaine powder, P15.9 million; ecstasy tablets, P19.9 million; kush, PHP19.8 million; and millions worth of marijuana in the form of dried leaves, bricks, plants, and stalks.

PDEA data also showed shabu and marijuana are the two most frequently abused drugs in the country, with 4,258, or 94.6 percent of arrests shabu-related and 240 or 5.3 percent marijuana-related.

As this developed, government agents assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport have intercepted smuggled shipments of ecstasy, shabu and kush worth more than P25 million from France and the United States.

A composite team from the Port of NAIA, PDEA and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group foiled the smuggling attempts at the DHL warehouse, Central Mail Exchange Center, and Peoples Air Cargo Warehouse in Pasay City.