A police inspector who leads anti-narcotics operations in the regional police was caught selling methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” by his colleagues and superior at the Central Luzon regional anti-illegal drugs special task group in Angeles City, Pampanga.
After almost a month of surveillance, Central Luzon Regional Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG) arrested on Wednesday afternoon one of its operation team leaders Police Inspector Roger Ocampo for selling two sachets of shabu to a poseur buyer at a gas station along McArthur Highway.
READ: Police officer in Pampanga nabbed for selling ‘shabu’
Senior Superintendent Leonardo Suan, Chief of Staff of the Philippine National Police’s anti-illegal drugs special operations task force, said Thursday Ocampo was with a non-commissioned police officer he identified as “SPO1 Almario” during the transaction but managed to escape.
Ocampo’s 25-year-old female cohort Sharmaine Laxamana was also arrested in the buy-bust operation.
“This is both a good news and bad news for the PNP. ‘Yung kasamahan namin–the one in charge of enforcing the drug law–is involved in illegal drug activities. ‘Yun ang masakit,” Suan said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Thursday.
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The joint team composed of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force (AIDSOTF) and regional police acted on a tip that Ocampo had been involved in illegal drug transactions and arranged a deal with the police officer.
“Police officer ito. May knowledge about countersurveillance kaya nag-iingat kami,” Suan said.
Seized from the suspects were two plastic sachets of shabu, a 9 mm Beretta pistol with 12 live ammunitions, two PNP commissioned officer’s identification card, one PNP non-commissioned officer’s ID, and a gold Toyota Corolla with a WFL 513 plate.
Ocampo and Laxamana will be facing a nonbailable criminal charge for selling illegal drugs, a violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. IDL