Entire PDEA unit in Calabarzon relieved

SMUGGLED DRUGS The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) takes custody of P128 million in drugs smuggled from Pakistan —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

SAN PEDRO CITY — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) sacked its entire regional office in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon (Calabarzon) and placed its personnel under investigation for the illegal issuance of identification cards and bulletproof vests to civilian assets.

Aaron Aquino, PDEA director general, said on Sunday that the relief order took effect on March 1. It covered Archie Grande, PDEA Calabarzon chief, and 61 other personnel of the regional antidrug unit.

Adrian Albarino, head of the PDEA Northern Mindanao office, replaced Grande.

“I believe that’s almost the entire unit,” said Derrick Arnold Carreon, PDEA spokesperson, of the coverage of the relief order.

Illegal arrests, extortion

In a statement, Aquino said he sacked the entire regional office, following intelligence reports on its involvement in illegal arrests and extortion in the provinces of Batangas and Cavite.

Archie Grande

According to Carreon, the “more glaring” reason for the relief was a gun attack in Paranaque City on Feb. 24 that led to the arrest of a certain Jhay-R Repana, who was wounded in the attack.

Repana had himself treated at a hospital in Sta. Rosa City, where he introduced himself to police as a PDEA agent.

Another civilian, a certain Joseph Martin Patrick Borjal, showed up at the Sta. Rosa police to vouch for Repana and presented a PDEA ID as a “confidential agent.”

Usurpers

Carreon said Repana and Borjal “even had bulletproof vests” marked PDEA, which could have been lent to them. A .38 caliber revolver seized from Repana was not government-issued.

Rapena and Borjal were detained for usurpation of authority, illegal possession of firearms and possession of illegal drugs.

Grande refused to answer calls. Other PDEA Calabarzon officials also declined requests for interview.

Aquino said PDEA did not issue IDs to civilian assets.

The 61 relieved personnel of PDEA Calabarzon were placed in the custody of PDEA’s administrative holding unit in its head office in Quezon City.

“Once the credibility of an organization is put at stake, in this instance PDEA, we will not tolerate anyone who deliberately besmirches its integrity,” said Aquino in his statement.

“We will remove rogue agents from our ranks so that they will not have a chance to influence others,” he said.