MANILA, Philippines — A suspected drug trader posing as an agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was killed in an encounter with anti-narcotics agents last week in Bombon town, Camarines Sur.
The suspect, identified as a certain Noel Vasquez, and a resident of Barangay San Jose in Bombon, Camarines Sur, was subject of a buy-bust operation by the Bombon Municipal Police. He was killed after exchanging fire with police during an operation last August 2.
Information reaching PDEA stated that Vasquez had been introducing himself as a PDEA agent to intimidate drug traders in the area, leading Director General Wilkins Villanueva to issue a warning to the public to beware against people pretending to be fake anti-narcotics operatives.
Villanueva said that police officers who mounted the buy-bust operation against Vasquez consider him as one of the biggest sources of illegal drugs in Bombon and nearby municipalities.
“Falsely representing a person of authority is a serious crime punishable by law. People like Vasquez who are openly doing their illicit activities leads to erosion of trust and confidence in PDEA,” Villanueva said.
“Ito ang mahirap. Mag-trabaho man kami ng mahusay, napapasama pa rin kami sa mata ng publiko,” he added.
(This is what is hard. Even if we work properly, our image gets tainted in the eyes of the public because of these.)
PDEA noted that according to their National Drug Information System (NDIS), Vasquez was listed as a drug surrenderer of Barangay Liboton, Naga City, Camarines Sur.
This is not the first time however that syndicates or individuals have posed as PDEA agents to either coerce or intimidate individuals. Last February 2021, PDEA stressed that any operation that they would conduct, especially if it involves arrests, has to be armed by court orders.
PDEA also noted that such operations are coordinated with local government and police officials. Villanueva made this similar statement after suspects killed in a shootout with police officers in Botolan, Zambales, were later cohorts of another fake PDEA agent operating in Taguig City.
Just this July, another fake PDEA agent was nabbed in Ormoc City, Leyte. According to the agency, the suspect in this case acts as a PDEA agent to back his illegal drug activities.
But as early as March 2018, the Philippine National Police (PNP) had already issued warnings against a band of men who acted as PDEA agents while doing their kidnap-for-ransom modus operandi.
Villanueva has urged the public to stay vigilant and if possible, verify with the PDEA offices to verify if a person is really a PDEA agent.
“Maari din po kayong magsumbong sa pamamagitan ng ‘Isumbong Mo Kay Wilkins!’ Facebook page o di kaya pwede po kayong tumawag o mag-text sa aming mga hotline numbers 09953547020 at 09310278212,” he added.
(You can also air your complaints through the ‘Isumbong Mo Kay Wilkins!’ Facebook page or by calling or texting us through our hotline numbers 09953547020 and 09310278212.)