Vehicle abandoned by fake PDEA agents yields guns, cash, drugs

A group of men pretending to be agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) managed to evade a police team although they were forced to abandon one of their getaway cars which was carrying cash, drugs and guns.

The Taguig police said that at 6:45 p.m. on Feb. 18, they received a tip about two vehicles — a Mitsubishi Montero Sport (NZI 593) and a Toyota Hilux (UGQ 317) — parked at the corner of Tomasa Avenue and General Luna Street.

Several men dressed in dark green PDEA shirts were also spotted boarding the Montero with long firearms.

When accosted by the police team sent to the area, the driver of one of the vans introduced himself as a PDEA agent, said Taguig police chief, Senior Supt. Alexander Santos.

When asked for ID cards, the driver boarded the Montero and the two vehicles sped off, leading to a chase. But the police failed to catch them although at 8:20 p.m., the Hilux was found at the corner of Lansones and Mabolo Streets in Makati City, with the key still in the ignition.

Also found were an unspecified amount of crystal meth, four more sachets of “shabu,” P296,000 in cash and two guns, a .30-caliber Carbine rifle and a .45-caliber Glock pistol.

Santos said he checked with PDEA which denied that the men were its agents.