ALARM RAISED OVER NARC AGENTS' ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES

Veteran narcotics officials are alarmed by the rising number of antidrugs
lawmen being involved in illegal activities, it was learned Thursday.

"If they themselves are taking advantage of their position to further their
personal agenda, then it is logical to assume that the Malacanang-inspired
all-out war against illegal drugs may not realize its goal," the group,
composed of veterans narcotics authorities said on condition of anonymity.

Even some National Bureau of Investigation officials noted successive
arrests of policemen who preyed on suspected drug pushers through big-time
extortion racket. On several occasions, they also ended up charged not only
with extortion but also the nonbailable offense of kidnapping as a result
of illegally detaining their victims until after a ransom is paid.

The latest to fall were five agents of the most powerful antidrug unit in
the country -- Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) -- who were
arrested by the National Anti-kidnapping Task Force (Naktf) under former
defense chief Angelo Reyes in Makati last Tuesday.

The NBI officials said this is alarming and there should be a strict
scrutiny of those who will be absorbed by any antidrugs task force in its
operating unit.

"The lure of making big bucks through extra judicial means is very
tempting. They have the power and therefore it is just a matter of
political will on the part of the arresting team, in this case the Naktf,
to bring into the open their illegal activity. Otherwise, they would be
feasting in the guise of legitimate operations," they said.

Elsewhere, the same cases involving the same racket by anti-drugs policemen
have been observed, hinting of a possible widespread malpractice by those
tasked to rid the society of banned substances.

Newspaper reports are replete with stories of policemen who were either
arrested for alleged involvement in illegal drug sting operations.

The latest most serious charge of alleged involvement of senior narcotics
officials was the report that an arrested big-time Taiwa-nese drug
trafficker had dropped the names of PDEA chief Anselmo Avenido and his deputy.

"Illegal drugs is one big source of easy money. The temptation is such that
it will take a lot of discipline on the part of certain authorities to
reject it," the NBI officials said.

They suggested that a special court should be created which would mete the
harshest of punishment against violators.

Relatedly, PDEA denied on Thursday that the five alleged PDEA operatives
who were linked to kidnapping activities are not in its roster.

In a statement, acting PDEA director Bernardo Bondoc said the suspects
identified as Elmer Avacena, Nolasco Taytay, Jaime Poloco, Gil Grefaidso
and Erik Nazareno are not connected in any way with the agency.

The five alleged PDEA agents along with Geroso Jarmalin of the Bureau of
Fire Protection were arrested on Wednesday by the National Antikidnapping
Task Force after the suspects allegedly abducted Rizaldo Policarpio in
Makati City last August 1 and demanded a P150,000 ransom.

For his part, former PDEA official Reynaldo Jaylo vehemently denied that
the arrested individuals were members of Task Force Hunter, which was then
headed by Jaylo.

The task force had been disbanded when Jaylo was appointed chief of the
Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force.