Agents in buy-bust leading to dealer‘s death to get cash reward

PDEA officials present the illegal drugs recovered from Steven Pasion who was killed in a buy-bust operation on Monday, March 11, 2019. Present at the press conference held on Tuesday, March 12, was Pasion’s live-in partner, Irene Mercado (hiding her face). (Photo by GABRIEL PABICO LALU / INQUIRER.net))

MANILA, Philippines — Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) who conducted the buy-bust operation that resulted in the killing of an alleged bigtime party drugs dealer will each receive a cash reward, President Rodrigo Duterte announced Wednesday.

Speaking at PDP-Laban‘s campaign rally in Isabela province, Duterte said he had told PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino that his agents will receive a “prize” for the killing of Steve “John” Pasion.

“Kagabi nag-usap kami ni Aaron Aquino tapos sabi niya: ‘Sir, namatay na yung number one distributor ng ecstasy.’ Sabi ko: ‘Announce mo: One million, five [hundred thousand pesos ]. Sabi ko: ‘May prize kayo,’” the President said.

[Last night, I was talking with Aaron Aquino and he said: “Sir, the number one distributor of ecstasy is dead.” I said: “Announce this: One million five hundred thousand pesos. I said: “You have a prize.”]

Pasion was killed Monday night during a buy-bust operation in the parking lot of his condominium unit at Barangay 310 in Sta. Cruz, Manila. His girlfriend, Irene “Sophie” Mercado, was arrested.

Seized from his condominium unit, which according to PDEA was being used as a warehouse for imported drugs, were a kilo of crystal meth (or shabu) worth P6 million, three bottles of liquid ecstasy worth P75,000, and drug paraphernalia.

According to PDEA, among Pasion’s clients were celebrities and models, two of whom were put under surveillance. /atm

READ: Drug supplier to celebrities, models killed in buy-bust