Drug informants become instant millionaires

They became instant millionaires just for telling on drug traffickers.

Two drug informants, their faces covered in bonnets, received P1 million each from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during its ninth anniversary celebration on Friday.

Identified only by their aliases “Robert” and “Alex Chow,” the two men responsible for major anti-narcotics operations were rewarded under PDEA’s “Operation: Private Eye.” The scheme encourages civilians to report suspected illegal drug activities in their community.

Robert gave PDEA a valuable tip that led to the dismantling of a medium-scale drug laboratory in Lipa City in Batangas and the seizure of 6,260 milliliters of liquid shabu, or methamphetamine hydrochloride.

On the other hand, Chow’s information enabled PDEA agents to arrest three Chinese drug operators and confiscate 193.9 kilos of shabu in a series of operations from February 23 to 25.

Robert was rewarded with P1 million, while Chow got a slightly bigger amount, P1.116 million, the PDEA said.

In 2010, PDEA awarded some P8.35 million to 27 informants under Operation: Private Eye or an average of more than P300,000 per informant.

PDEA Director General Jose S. Gutierrez lauded the agency’s accomplishments in curbing the drug menace.

Last year, he said, seven shabu laboratories were dismantled, 36 drug dens and four shabu flea markets were “neutralized,” 9,655 suspected drug traders arrested, 10,343 drug cases filed in court, and P4.3 billion worth of dangerous drugs seized.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was the guest of honor at the event, said combating drugs went beyond just police work.

“The most important police work is not sufficient. We have to go beyond police work. We have to do more. We need a comprehensive drug program,” he said.

Binay said such a comprehensive and integrated program should draw the youth away from consumption of illegal drugs, and divert their interests to sports and social work.