CHIEF Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said Monday, August 15, that the Duterte administration is not tolerating the extrajudicial killings of suspected drug personalities and stressed that it was the drug suspects who are "killing each other." "As far as we are concerned, the killings are being made by drug pushers themselves, killing each other," Panelo told reporters. Panelo's statement came after the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) had withdrawn its support on President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, saying it has "clearly become anti-people and anti-democratic." [continues 199 words]
OFTENTIMES, debates do not end in resolutions nor do the arguments meet squarely. The problem lies not in the lack of logic but on the different paradigms the reasoning proceeds from. Understanding the war on drugs require a proper paradigm, the paradigm of war. Over the years, decades even, the drug situation has worsened. Drug addicts took marijuana and cough syrups. They walked in the streets and their profile as addicts are unmistakable: long hair, tattered pants, skinny, and untidy. Overtime the addicts turn to synthetic drugs, most famous of which is "shabu." So too the profile of an addict: it has gone a massive transformation. For the untrained eye an addict maybe in your office without being noticed. They may even wear "barong" or coat and tie. [continues 623 words]
VICE President Leni Robredo strongly condemned on Wednesday the spate of extrajudicial killings that have occurred recently. "This senseless and unjust violence must stop," she said. As the government steps up its war on drugs, and suspected users, pushers, and drug dealers are killed by police officers, vigilantes, or drug syndicates, the vice-president urged authorities to seriously investigate the killings and bring those responsible to justice. "The rise in extrajudicial killings is a call for all of us to uphold every person's right to due process," she said in a press statement. [continues 78 words]
Agency Talks To Students With Knowledge On Drug Trade THE Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindanao will be conducting "interviews" with students who are believed linked with the illegal drugs trade in their campuses. The move was raised during the local anti-drug agency's Wednesday celebration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT). In an interview with Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Wednesday, PDEA Regional Director Rolando Bade disclosed that they will be intensifying their anti-illegal drugs campaign in the different educational institutions in the region. [continues 302 words]
CONTINUING its investigation on the scale of illegal drug operations in the city, the City Council will hear Monday the regional director of the Department of Health (DOH), whose survey reportedly placed Cagayan de Oro City at the top of the list for drug abuse among high school students. DOH Regional Director Julito Sabornido was expected to appear along with Estrella Abid-Babano, regional director of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Edna Maghinay, City Schools Division officer-in-charge. According to the City Council agenda bulletin, the three officials were being summoned to "shed light, in aid of legislation, regarding the DOH research" which purportedly showed that "Region 10, particularly Cagayan de Oro City, tops the list for illegal drug use among high school students." [continues 387 words]
ONE thought that with all the attention in the war against drugs, small town lottery and other political issues that a simple case of an alleged beating done by two agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindanao would remain under the radar for long. But it surfaced thanks to media vigilance and now P02 Iraz Zari and P03 Perfecto Vargas Jr. are facing the prospect of a court trial if the complainant does decide to pursue his case. [continues 460 words]
MISAMIS Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno called on the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10 to "name names" concerning police officers who may be involved in protecting illegal drug suppliers. Moreno issued the challenge to the agency in a television interview, saying it's not sufficient for the drug enforcement agency to simply mention the alleged involvement of some top police officials in illegal drugs. "If they did mention that then it's not enough for them to do so. It's easy to say this person is involved in drugs. Name names then prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law," Moreno said. [continues 246 words]
THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindano identified the drug hotspots in Misamis Oriental Monday. PDEA Regional Director Rene Orbe named the three towns in Misamis Oriental considered as "top-ranking" when it comes to illegal drugs operations during the regular session of the Provincial Board. Orbe said the three "top-ranking" drug hotspots include the towns of Gitagum, Alubijid, and Villanueva. Board member Arsenio Kho Jr. asked Orbe to look into reports on the fast proliferation of illegal drugs in the small towns of the province. [continues 181 words]
Editorial: Stained Reputation CONCERNED government agencies should take action on the allegations of bribery and extortion surrounding the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10 in order to prevent the further deterioration of its reputation before the public. In an apparent face-saving gesture, PDEA 10 Director Rene Orbe gave what he said is P20,000 of his own money to regional director Virgilio Mendez of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 10. According to Orbe, he wants to make those responsible for the alleged extortion feel guilty or fearful and thus either clear up the controversy or at least admit to committing the act. Whether that would be effective or not the public will know in a few days. [continues 334 words]
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)." [continues 409 words]
THERE is a growing consensus among the majority of Cagayan de Oro public officials that Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10 chief, Superintendent Rene Orbe, should be booted out from office "as soon as possible." Two administration officials, who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity, on Sunday said Orbe has to go. "Though I think he can only be faulted because of command responsibility," one official said. The other official, however, went further by raising suspicions that Orbe had a hand in the series of bribery scandals that rocked the anti-drug agency in recent weeks. [continues 630 words]
MAYOR Vicente Emano threatened to bring the bribery controversy involving an agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 10 to the attention of PNP Chief Arturo Lomibao if the local leadership failed to resolve it. Emano said he would elevate this matter to Camp Crame if the regional PDEA failed to act on the irregularity. The mayor said this was not the first time that PDEA agent was involved in a wrongdoing. The mayor further said the case should not be allowed to pass because the people would lose trust in the PDEA operations [continues 426 words]
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. [continues 400 words]
THREE members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are now in trouble after being arrested for allegedly kidnapping a sister of a congressman on Saturday morning. The suspects were identified as Police Officers 3 Irving Castuera, Sarahjane Bajo, and Vicente Hallazgo Jr. Castuera and Bajo's mother unit was reported to be at the Regional Special Unit Group (RSUG) 10 based in Camp Alagar in Lapasan but they were detailed at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEA). Hallazgo is assigned at the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo). [continues 735 words]
VALENCIA, Bukidnon -- Mayor Jose Galario is suspected of being the brains behind a death squad responsible for the summary killings of nine alleged illegal drug pushers operating inside and outside Valencia City. Galario denied such allegations, saying he condemns summary executions of the suspected drug pushers for he believes that due process of law should be observed. Newly installed PNP-Bukidnon provincial director Archie Gamboa vowed to "totally eradicate" this vigilante group called Anti-Drug Advocate (ADA) within one month regardless of who are involved. [continues 826 words]
BOTH the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) and the regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10 denied any involvement in a bungled raid at a woman's home in Barangay Patag, this city last May 11. "We have nothing to do with that, we don't know that," PDEA-10 deputy director, Superintendent Nerio Bermudo told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Wednesday. A woman earlier voiced her complaint regarding what she described as the "forcible entry" of agents of the regional PDEA-10 office at her home located in Tejero streets, Barangay Patag this city at 7:30 p.m. [continues 306 words]
PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director Supt. Rene Orbe said Tuesday that a lot of policemen assigned at the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) are protectors of illegal drugs. Orbe mentioned Special Operation Unit (SOU) chief SPO1 Mario Pelaez and SPO2 Florencio Bagaipo detailed at Cogon police precinct. Orbe said there are still a lot at COCPO but for the meantime he could only name Pelaez and Bagaipo. Orbe's revelation came out after an order from Police Regional Office-10 prohibiting Pelaez not to operate anymore on illegal drugs. [continues 338 words]
PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10 Chief Rene Orbe revealed they now have a new list of police officers now acting as "protectors" for some drug pushers in Cagayan de Oro City. "These are new names of police officers and we now have a list of them," he told Sun.Star. He added he would be submitting this new list to Philippine National Police (PNP) 10 regional director Supt. Nicolas Pasinos who has the "jurisdiction and command" to keep and eye over these police officers suspected to be protecting drug pushers. [continues 229 words]
THE regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10 disclosed they are now investigating reports of ecstasy pills being sold in some of the bars being frequented by rich and influential families in Cagayan de Oro City. This as the same agency debunked reports that Cagayan de Oro is a "dropping point" for drugs coming from the northern part of the country. PDEA 10 Chief Rene Orbe told Sun.Star that they have received reports that there could be some pushers for the illegal drug known as ecstacy pills at some of the resto bars here. [continues 339 words]
She Failed To Cut Me Some Cash. This was the reason given by 18-year old Alberto Beloria for killing PO1 Gemma Jatico of the Agora police precinct last month. Beloria, a native of Calina Davao City, surrendered to the authorities in Kadilingan, Bukidnon, after being persuaded by his father last Wednesday. In an interview over ABS-CBN Cagayan de Oro, Beloria alleged that Jatico supposedly failed to give him his share of the earnings taken from various illegal activities like drug peddling. [continues 393 words]
