PDEA agents ‘not exempted’ from drug recycling issue — Aquino

MANILA, Philippines — Operatives of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) are “not exempted” from the issue of recycling illegal drugs confiscated in buy-bust operations, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said Wednesday.

“Meron akong kutob. Sabi ko nga PDEA is not exempted on this (recycling drugs), hindi lang kapulisan (not only policemen). Kaya talagang dapat makita natin lahat ang ginagawa ng tao natin (That is why we need to watch the activities of our agents),” Aquino said in an interview over DZBB when asked if drug recycling is prevalent among law enforcers.

Aquino said he deployed sniffing dogs in PDEA offices to ensure that illegal drugs are not stored in the agents’ cabinets.

“Ito gagawin namin na regular to ensure na walang nagtatago ng droga sa kanilang mga cabinet sa kanilang mga opisina,” Aquino said.

(We will do this regularly to ensure that no drugs are being hidden in the cabinets of their offices.)

Aquino also proposed that joint operations of law enforcement agencies should be conducted more often to avoid drug recycling.

“‘Yung possibility ng drug recycling ay liliit. Magbabantayan siyempre. Hindi ka gumawa ng kalokohan. May naka-piring sayong AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) may nakapiring sayong PNP (Philippine National Police),” Aquino said.

(The possibility of drug recycling will decrease. They would keep an eye out more. They won’t do anything foolish.)

Meanwhile, Aquino asked PNP to strengthen its counter intelligence to hunt down erring police officers.

In a Senate hearing on Monday, the PDEA chief revealed that errant law enforcers are recycling illegal drugs confiscated during anti-drug operations. He noted that PDEA is also tracking down a “drug queen” who bought narcotics from rogue policemen. /je

READ: PDEA chief flags ‘rampant recycling’ of drugs