PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Redrico Maranan (File photo)
MANILA – A ranking official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) denied the existence of a commission scheme where informants are allegedly paid with a portion of the total volume of illegal drugs seized from operations.
"As for us at the PNP, that is illegal and we do not do that. The senior officers deliberate and talk about the reward we will give to the informant. The amount to be given depends on the size of the work he gave and the practical and reasonable recognition that he must get is also discussed. We have recognition methods for these people and these processes are fully documented,” PNP public information office chief Col. Redrico Maranan told reporters in a chance interview in Camp Crame on Wednesday.
This came after Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Moro Virgilio Lazo revealed during Tuesday's hearing of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs a "commission scheme" allegedly perpetrated by information or tipsters where they get up to 30 percent of confiscated illegal drugs from anti-narcotics operations.
“Kung sino man yung ginagamit nating informant na tumutulong sa atin, yan ay nakadokumento. May mga agent's agreement na pinipirmahan, kumpleto yung kanyang pagkatao, bio-profile at kapag naging successful yung ating ini-lodge na operation nabibigyan ng mga recognition yung ating mga informants (Whoever we use as an informant that helps us, that is documented. There are agent's agreements that are signed, his personality, bio-profile is complete and when our lodged operation is successful, our informants are given recognitions),” he stressed.
Maranan said the law mandates that all seized illegal drugs in operations must be submitted in court as evidence in cases.
“First of all, that is illegal because the confiscated drugs are part of the evidence that we should be submitting to the court to be used in the trial. Second, of course, if you gave it to the informant, what will the informant do with the drug that was given to him,” said Maranan.
Maranan, who has been in the police service for 25 years, said he has never encountered any informant who has asked for a portion of narcotics seized in police operations.
Pursuant to Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022, an inventory of seized illegal drugs must be immediately conducted in the presence of three necessary witnesses -- an elected public official, a member of the media and a representative from the Justice department. (PNA)
