DRUG CODDLING COP? The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has launched a probe to identify the policeman named of being her protector by drug suspect, Wendell Cristine Mijares. She was arrested in a buy-bust operation June 5, 2020 in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay. (Photo lifted from the Facebook page of PDEA-Zamboanga Sibugay)
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur -- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has launched an investigation to identify a policeman who has been tagged as an alleged drug protector in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, a PDEA official disclosed Tuesday.
Dorothy Joy Villoso, Zamboanga Sibugay PDEA head, said Tuesday they initiated the investigation after a 21-year-old woman claimed that she cannot be arrested since she is under the protection of a policeman.
The suspect, Wendell Christine Mijares, was arrested in a buy-bust operation last Friday by a joint team of PDEA and police operatives in Barangay Concepcion, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Seized from her during the buy-bust operation were some five grams of suspected shabu with an estimated market value of PHP40,800 and the PHP500 marked money.
“Upon arrest, she was saying we [arresting team] could not arrest her since she has protection from a policeman,” Villoso said.
Following the incident, the PDEA Zamboanga Sibugay posted the suspect's photo on its official Facebook Page, with a caption that said: “This 21-year-old mom is NOT WORRIED that she'll be in jail after nabbed selling drugs. She claims she's PROTECTED by an unidentified LAW ENFORCER.”
The post immediately went viral and gathered more than 8,000 comments from netizens, calling the authorities to identify the protector.
Many also reacted after Mijares is seen smiling in her mugshot, with netizens accusing her of mocking the authorities that she would be rescued by her unnamed protector.
Villoso said that formal charges have been filed against the suspect while an investigation is ongoing to establish the identity of the reported drug-coddling policeman. (PNA)
