MANILA, Philippines—Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas on Friday echoed the challenge of Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to identify the alleged protector of drug lords as he called on the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to stop tussling.
“These two law and order agencies should stop fighting [because] any ordinary citizen would be asking what will happen to them, who will protect them,” Roxas told Radyo Inquirer 990AM.
“Our duty is to run after criminals and if there really is a drug lord who is trying to influence our law enforcers, both the drug lord and the law enforcer should be identified,” he said.
Senior Superintendent Jose Mario Espino, the sacked chief of the CIDG’s Anti-Organized Crime Division, has accused an NBI officer of protecting Chinese Jackson Dy and two other drug lords. The information was allegedly confirmed by another witness.
NBI Director Nonnatus Rojas on Thursday retaliated by asking Espino to substantiate his allegation against the NBI and identify the alleged erring officer.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima lamented that the attacks of Espino were “getting out of hand.”
Roxas also urged Espino to substantiate his allegation against the NBI.
The rift between the two agencies began after two NBI witnesses alleged that the 19-member CIDG team that raided Dy’s rented apartment had failed to turn over about P15 million to P20 million cash and around 80 kilos of shabu the operatives allegedly seized during the raid. The team denied it confiscated drug money and shabu.
On Wednesday, Espino named the NBI witnesses, a move that a visibly irked De Lima said was unlawful.