Pubdate: Fri, 26 Aug 2005
Source: Sunstar Cagayan De Oro (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Sunstar Cagayan De Oro.
Contact:  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2983
Cited: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency http://www.pdea.gov.ph
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Philippines

EDITORIAL: MARRED

THE second agent of the regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
(PDEA) 10 that got arrested this time for alleged bribery is yet
another alarming indication that something is wrong with the
aforementioned organization.

The PDEA 10 agent was identified as a certain PO2 Isah Taurac and the
suspected drug pusher was identified as one Eric Jabagat, a resident
of Macabalan this city. There was no specified amount of bribe money
mentioned.

And for its part the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-10 said a
PDEA-10 agent was indeed arrested but kept mum on the details
including confirmation on the identity of the arrested PDEA-10 agent
for fear it may hamper ongoing investigation.

According to a radio report PDEA-10 chief Col. Rene Orbe denied there
was any wrongdoing on the part of his agents but the official
supposedly delivered the bribe money issued to the agent.

This report had yet to be verified but still this incident comes on
the heels of the arrest of one PDEA-10 agent who got involved with one
city police officer for allegedly kidnapping the sister of Misamis
Oriental First Dist. Rep. Danilo Lagbas.

The sister had been identified by these agents as a suspected drug
pusher but instead of being brought straightaway to headquarters she
was brought to a resort and offered release in exchange for a
substantial amount of money.

These two incidents, while not exactly reflective of the character and
reputation of each individual PDEA-10 agent certainly does damage to
the integrity of the agency as a whole.

Unsurprising that even as the report on the alleged erring PDEA-10
agent came out the regional PDEA-10 office revealed the number of drug
suspects it arrested for this month to sort of counteract the negative
publicity.

Along with its task of monitoring and arresting drug suspects the
PDEA-10 is expected like any other government agency to clean its
ranks of any unscrupuluos poseur-agents who use the organization's
name to make a quick buck for themselves.

These two reports of erring PDEA-10 agents somehow negate and
overshadow whatever gains the agency had achieved in its campaign
against drug trafficking, even the multi-million peso drug lab raid at
the warehouse of one of the popular shopping centers in the city.

Drug trafficking and addiction had already been considered a national
security problem deserving the highest attention and priority because
of the millions of lives it had ruined and claimed because the
purveyors behind it have the money and the power to feed this menace
indefinitely.

And when government agents tasked to stop this menace get tangled in
its web then something must be done to cut it at the roots. Problem is
when the people in power refuse to cut it at the roots then they
contribute to perpetuating the menace, not resolving it.

So we ask: Is the regional leadership of the PDEA-10 cutting the roots
of the problem or is it part of the problem itself? Director Orbe
should prove this otherwise before a skeptical public.
- ---