MANILA -- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is now coordinating with Philippine National Police (PNP) in probing the incident involving a group of armed men wearing PDEA uniforms who purportedly arrested suspected pushers in Taguig City.
“We are closely cooperating with the PNP to identify those who are involved and verify whether or not they are indeed PDEA agents,” PDEA Spokesperson Derrick Carreon told the Philippine News Agency.
Based on the CCTV footage from Barangay Ususan last Feb. 4, the group posing as PDEA operatives from two vehicles, a black Mitsubishi Montero and a black Toyota Hilux pick-up, was seen roaming in the neighborhood.
They brought a man into an alley. Shortly thereafter, the group came out with the three men who apparently arrested them at once.
On Feb. 18, the two vehicles returned in the said barangay and 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.
As the barangay officials expressed doubt on the two vehicles seen again in their CCTV, they immediately called the police for verification.
Taguig City Chief of Police Sr. Supt Alexander Santos said based on the report of the police team sent to the area, the driver of one of the vans introduced himself as a PDEA agent.
Santos said when asked for ID cards, the driver boarded the Montero and the two vehicles sped off, leading to a chase.
After an hour of chase, the police failed to catch the group of armed men but one of the vehicles, the Hilux pickup, was found abandoned. The cops seized inside the vehicle fake money amounting to P296,000 in cash and two guns, a .30-caliber Carbine rifle and a .45-caliber Glock pistol and handheld radios.
According to Santos the group allegedly arrested drug personalities in return for a certain amount.
“Based on the statement nung mga nahuli, hiningian sila ng pera. So definitely, hindi ito trabaho ng PDEA (These people who were arrested, they were asked to give money. Definitely, this is not part of PDEA's job).”
He said he checked with PDEA which denied that the men were its agents.
For his part, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde expressed alarm over the incident.
"It should really investigate whether they are impostor ... Maybe PDEA should also check their ranks," Albayalde said.
Carreon said they are also conducting their own probe to determine whether these are indeed PDEA agents. (PNA)
