DRUG AGENCY IDENTIFIES COP CHIEF AS DRUG PROTECTOR

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.

When Orbe was asked whether he has the hand of Pelaez' relief he
replied in the negative. He said it was Police Director Nicholas
Pacinos who made such an order to Pelaez.

"Mine was only submitting the list of lawmen who are allegedly
protecting illegal drug suspects and it was General Pacinos who makes
guidance," Orbe explained.

Orbe said the inclusion of Pelaez and Bagaipo in the list was that
their names have always been mentioned by arrested
individuals.

Orbe said he also received a lot of text messages implicating the two
policemen and added he could not present any concrete proof against
these law enforcers.

SOU personnel have been noted on their relentless drive against
illegal drugs as shown by the series of lawful raids against drug suspects.

Pelaez said that he was not bothered by Alagar's order saying he is
just doing his job.

"As of now my group is concentrating on other crimes such as unsolved
cases, carnappings and others. Just last week we're able to arrest 4
suspected carnappers," Pelaez said.

He said it is better to keep his peace on the issue and let his direct
superior Chief Inspector Antonio Montalba, COCPO chief to answer on
his behalf.

Bagaipo could not be reached for comment. This paper was told he was
in a police-training center for schooling.

There are more than 1,000 drug suspects who were arrested and charged
in court since the assumption of Orbe as PDEA chief.

One of those was a certain Dodong Dela Pena who, Orbe said was
reported to be a big time drug lord in region 10.

He managed to arrest a barangay chairman, a son of a chief of police,
a driver of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, military
personnel and others.

Just last August 18 Orbe's men nabbed Roberto Abejuela, 35, residing
at Barangay Gusa and a nurse at the Northern Medical Center (NMMC).

Under Republic Act 9165 selling of illegal drugs (like buy-bust) is a
non-bailable offense.