Aguirre: Jaguar aide is gov’t witness vs ‘narco’ cops

THE arrested big-time drug lord operating in Bicol, Reynaldo Diaz alias James Tan, is a government witness, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said Monday. Aguirre said Diaz has been with the Witness Protection Program (WPP) and has executed an affidavit linking high-ranking government officials and former police officials to illegal drug operations. “He asked permission from WPP to attend a sort of reunion with his relatives in Bicol. But on his way there, he was arrested by police,” Aguirre said at a press conference. Diaz was arrested last Sunday in Sorsogon. Aguirre said he already talked to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa about Diaz’ status. “Reynaldo Diaz is the number two man of Jaguar who has been under our custody in the WPP after he executed an affidavit where he named the officials and police generals who received drug money from him every two weeks,” Aguirre said.

Dela Rosa earlier said that Diaz allegedly assumed the illegal drug operations in Bicol after his cousin, Jeffrey Diaz alias Jaguar, was killed by police last June.

Jaguar was tagged as one of the top drug lords in the Visayas./rga