PDEA chief says murder of agent meant to demoralize ranks

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Director General Aaron Aquino on Wednesday slammed the murder of a PDEA agent in Camarines Sur, as he said the killing was meant to demoralize other drug busters.

Agent Enrico Barba, assistant provincial officer of the agency’s Camarines Norte Provincial Office, was found dead in a concrete canal in Camarines Sur on Monday, with his hands and mouth wrapped with packaging tape.

Before his death, Barba was reported missing after meeting a supposed informant about the illegal drug activities in the town of Daet. Police later found from the pocket of his shorts a small piece of cardboard with the message “Wag tularan, tulak ako (Don’t be like me. I am a pusher) written on it.

“We condemn the criminals working behind this killing. We believe that this is a planned act with an intent to demoralize our agents, as the illegal drug syndicates try to shake our core,” Aquino said in a statement.

“But we strongly defy the threat and we strongly condemn this violence against our agents,” he said.

Aquino said Barba’s death will not be worthless, as his service to the country “will be an inspiration and motivation to strike harder against the operators of the illegal drugs industry.”

He added that Barba’s  death will serve as a “challenge to every man and woman standing within PDEA.”

The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation have started their investigation into Barba’s murder.  /muf