Arrest of PDEA agent ‘proof’ that ‘crooked’ enforcers exist — Aquino

SAN PEDRO CITY — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) did not lift a finger to defend its agent, but rather said his arrest was “proof” that unscrupulous law enforcers existed even within its agency.

PDEA chief Aaron Aquino, in a statement Sunday, denounced what he called “crooked agents” and vowed to pursue them to the full extent of the law.

Aquino also said PDEA would continue to “support and cooperate” with the police in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“PDEA also vowed to be stricter in the implementation of its internal cleansing to rid the agency of erring employee,” Aquino added.

Aquino was referring to the arrest of PDEA agent Richard Gaufo, 39, in this city on Saturday afternoon.

Laguna police chief Col. Eleazar Matta said Gaufo was previously assigned here in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon region before he was transferred to PDEA in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Gaufo was arrested along with Joseph Martin Patrick Borjal, 39, the target of the police search  in Barangay (village) Pacita 1.

Police seized illegal firearms and ten sachets of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) from Gaufo and Borjal. With a report from Neil Arwin Mercado, INQUIRER.net /je