Source of leaked PDEA papers a liar, says ex-boss

HEARING ON ALLEGED LEAKED DOCUMENTS: Former agent of the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Jonathan Morales attends the continuation of the investigation conducted by the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on Monday, May 13, 2024, on the alleged leak of PDEA documents. During the second hearing held last May 7, Morales claimed several individuals attempted to block his participation. —Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines – Former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Dionisio Santiago on Monday described as a “story-telling liar” a former subordinate who had linked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to illegal drugs, bolstering questions over his credibility as a witness.

At the resumption of a Senate inquiry into the alleged leak of confidential PDEA documents, Santiago said former antinarcotics agent Jonathan Morales had a penchant for accusing his superiors, including Santiago himself and two of his successors, of wrongdoing.

He said Morales, who claimed to have prepared a PDEA pre-operation report in 2012 targeting a group of drug users that supposedly included Marcos and actress Maricel Soriano, had disregarded the agency’s chain of command.

READ: Morales’ credibility questioned in Senate probe on PDEA ‘leak’

“I was the [PDEA] director general then. They were just ‘doormats.’ But I was puzzled why he was all over. Why is he bypassing his superiors?” said Santiago, who appeared at the hearing as a “surprise witness” of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Turning to Morales, Santiago said: “My friends call you ‘STL.’ They know you personally as STL — a professional ‘story-telling liar.’”

Citing official documents, Estrada challenged Morales’ reputation anew as he noted that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) sacked him from government service in 2014 for admitting he had planted evidence on two individuals arrested in an antidrug operation in Pampanga province.

Estrada said the Supreme Court eventually upheld the CSC’s ruling after the former PDEA agent filed an appeal.

He added that Morales also “misrepresented” himself when he claimed in his personal data sheet (PDS) that he was never charged with any administrative or criminal complaint before he joined PDEA.

Estrada said Morales had actually been “dropped from the roll” of the Philippine National Police and was also held liable for dishonesty and grave misconduct.

Morales’ explanation

Defending himself, Morales said he could comply with all the required clearances before becoming a PDEA agent. “But there are information I declared there [in my PDS] because I did not know the status of my cases at the time,” he added.

Addressing the hearing, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri reminded his colleagues to be more circumspect in conducting legislative inquiries and not use these “in aid of political persecution” to protect the chamber’s integrity.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who led the hearing as chair of the Senate committee on public order, assured Zubiri that they just wanted to “ferret out the truth about this issue.”