Pubdate: Mon, 29 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
Author: Lizanilla J. Amarga
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

LAWYERS CITE ANTI-DRUG CHIEF IN EXTORTION CASE

ANTI-ILLEGAL drugs czar Rene Orbe is allegedly receiving a portion of
money some of his men are extorting from suspected drug users and
pushers caught by their agency, several lawyers disclosed Sunday.

But Orbe, who is the regional director of the local Philippine Drugs
Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10, debunked accusations that he is
receiving bribe money from his men.

"That is not true...never did that happen and never will it happen,"
he said. "Basin gigamit lang akong ngalan (perhaps my name was just
used by some men)."

The anti-drugs head told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Sunday that these
lawyers may be among those who he lambasted in his office for trying
to circumvent the law to save their clients or when he declined to
accept their bribe offers.

In a luncheon gathering Sunday, several lawyers who requested
anonymity disclosed that they have it from some of their clients and
some "inside information" that Orbe is indeed receiving some amount of
money from these illegal drugs users and traders.

They cited in particular "hulidaps" and other "extortion schemes that
some PDEA 10 agents are initiating."

"But we are not saying all are guilty but we were told by two clients
that PDEA 10 agents requested some amount of money from them and that
this would be given to their RD Orbe," a lawyer said.

Another lawyer chimed in saying that these bribe money were used to
either just dismiss the case then release the illegal drugs suspect or
to downgrade the case.

"Kanang nahitabo karon gamay ra kana...that is just a tip of the
iceberg," another lawyer said.

These lawyers issued these statements in reaction to the banner
headline of this paper Sunday on how Orbe last Friday conducted a
press conference where he admitted that he handed P20,000 of his own
money to the regional office of the National Bureau of Investigation
(NBI) 10.

This anti-drugs chief made the admission in relation to reports that a
PDEA 10 agent named Police Officer 2 Isah Taurac was caught accepting
a P30,000 bribe from 34-year-old suspected drug pusher Eric Jabagat in
a recent entrapment operation.

"Impossible kaayo mobuhi ka ug in ana ka dako nga kwarta para lang sa
usa ka subordinate nimo...basin hadlok si Orbe nga mabulgar siya ni
Taurac," a lawyer said.

But Orbe denied such allegations even saying that several big
politicians and businessmen and even close relatives have approached
him before to offer him bribe money but he turned them down.

He said if such claims were true then they would not have been able to
put in jail several big shots even including close relatives.

"Wala gyud...kadaghan na kaayo naa diha sa Lumbia Jail nga among
napapriso namo mga anak ug dagkong negosyante, mga pag-umangkon sa mga
dagkong politicians og mga parente sa mga ex-generals," he said. "Naa
pa gani akong pag-umangkon ako pang gi-apil ug dakop ug papriso."
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