PDEA rewards P4.8 million to 4 informants

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino turns over cash rewards to informants under Operation: Public Eye during a ceremony on Wednesday, December 20, at the agency’s headquarters. (Photo courtesy of the PDEA Public Information Office)

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has rewarded a total of P4.8 million cash to four of the agency’s civilian informants whose tips had led to the arrests of drug personalities and seizure of narcotics.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino, in a statement on Wednesday, identified the informants only by their codenames: “Toffee,” “James,” “Cold Ice” and “Basti.”

“Toffee” received P1.8 million for information that led PDEA to dismantle a shabu laboratory in Angeles City, Pampanga and seize 248,413.11 liters of liquid shabu, 21 liters of hydrochloric acid, and 3.79 liters of acetone last May 2016.

“James” was awarded P1.5 million for tipping the agency of an illegal drug operation in Sta. Cruz, Manila which ended in a buy-bust operation with the arrests of two suspects and the seizure of 20,596 grams of shabu last November 2016.

“Cold Ice” received about P1 million for information that led to an entrapment operation in Barangay Ugong Norte, Quezon City last March 2016 where two drug suspects were arrested while 19,673 grams of shabu were seized.

“Basti” was rewarded with P491,155.16 for providing intel that led to the seizure of 5,232 grams of shabu and the arrest of a drug suspect during a buy-busy operation along Aurora Boulevard corner Romulo Avenue in Quezon City last November 2016.

The informants, Aquino said, were enlisted under PDEA’s Operation: Private Eye (OPE).

The PDEA chief described the operation as a reward and incentive scheme designed to encourage civilians to report any suspected drug trade in their community.

“To fully encourage the participation of private citizens in the fight against illegal drugs, PDEA continues to give monetary rewards to deserving informants,” Aquino said.

“With the increasing numbers of them coming out in the open to report illegal drug activities, soon we will have a vast network of eyes and ears in our communities,” the PDEA chief said. /je