JAYLO-AVENIDO WORD WAR CONTINUES

THERE is no need to abolish his anti-illegal drugs task force as far as
retired police captain Reynaldo Jaylo is concerned.

Jaylo, beleaguered former chief of Task Force Hunter, said he dissolved the
unit and was planning to bring its 24 members into his new task force
against illegal recruiters.

He did not explain why he suddenly left the Philippine Drug Enforcement
Unit, except to say that he got an offer to lead the new group from no less
than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

He left at the height of his rift with PDEA director Anselmo Avenido Jr.
over his group's alleged plot to assassinate the retired police general.

"Well, I wish him all the luck," he told the Inquirer. "I thank him for
giving me the opportunity to work with him. Now he can take care of PDEA
all by himself."

But Jaylo sounded angry upon learning that Avenido was planning to dissolve
Hunter because of numerous reports that its members were involved in
criminal activities, particularly extortion.

Jaylo went on to identify at least five cases involving Avenido's men.
Among them were the suspect caught with two kilos of banned substance at
the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and a police official arrested for a
similar violation in Manila.

"These people were clearly his men yet he never issued memos against them,"
he said.

In contrast, Jaylo got a memorandum from Avenido for allegedly refusing to
follow orders.

Avenido had earlier complained that Jaylo never coordinated his task
force's operations even if it was clearly under PDEA's command. He said the
alleged indifference had been present since Jaylo was appointed to the agency.

The conflict reached its climax more than a week ago when two of Jaylo's
men allegedly planned to kill Avenido.

Having been warned of the alleged plot, Avenido phoned Jaylo to check if
there were indeed Hunter people out to get him. Jaylo denied the plot and
later went public to condemn Avenido.