PDEA BROUHAHA: AVENIDO DEFANGS JAYLO

PEOPLE'S Journal sources said persistent reports about the alleged
involvement of former Manila police Capt. Reynaldo Jaylo and his men in
extortion activities, where the victims were mostly Filipino-Chinese drug
suspects in Metro Manila, prompted Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
chairman Anselmo S. Avenido Jr. to issue a memorandum virtually clipping
the powers of Jaylo's Task Force Hunter.

PDEA officials said they have documented scores of complaints ranging from
robbery-extortion to serious illegal detention against members of the task
force headed by Jaylo. Similar reports have also been forwarded to the
National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police
Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force and the National Capital
Region Police Office. Most of the cases involved non-organic PDEA personnel
in Jaylo's task force.

Jaylo, a tough police officer who once led a special task force of the
National Bureau of Investigation which was headed then by Alfredo Lim, has
denied all the accusations against him and his men, branding these as
harassment.

Jaylo headed the Western Police District's anti-narcotics and homicide
divisions in the late 90s until he was transferred to the NBI. He was
thrust into controversy when he and his men shot dead two ranking police
officials allegedly involved in drug trafficking in Magallanes, Makati City.

PJ was able to get a copy of the memorandum issued by Avenido ordering
Jaylo to stop using non-organic PDEA personnel in anti-drug operations.

"You are hereby reminded that non-PDEA personnel shall not participate in
any anti-drug operations except as informant. You may, however, seek the
assistance of other law enforcement units in your operation," the memo
dated May 4, 2004 said.

Avenido further told Jaylo in his memo "that the SEU 'H' Special
Enforcement Service under your leadership has been responsible for a number
of successful operations to date. However, there have been also several
complaints received by the PDEA National Office against personnel allegedly
belonging to your unit."

He cited an incident in which "the PDEA was placed in a very bad light when
one Jonathan Pascual y Navarette was arrested in possession of a PDEA
jacket and Task Force Hunter ID by PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special
Operations Task Force on March 23, 2004."

"These unfortunate incidents and reports negate the milestone achieved by
the government in the campaign against drug abuse and trafficking and
threaten to further erode public confidence in law enforcement," Avenido said.

He also ordered Jaylo last May 24 to immediately limit his "task force's
anti-drug operations only in pursuit of approved PDEA Case Operations Plans
and upon specific clearance from the PDEA national headquarters for other
cases/operations on case-to-case basis."

Jaylo, meanwhile, claimed Avenido's memorandum was meant to clip his task
force's activities following their arrest of Wilson Gan, a
Filipino-Chinese, for drug trafficking in Valenzuela.

He accused Avenido and one of his deputies, PDEA Assistant Secretary
Rodolfo N. Caisip, of protecting Gan, an allegation which Avenido and
Caisip denied.

The rift between Avenido, et al and Jaylo further widened when the former
started receiving death threats over the phone.

Avenido said unidentified callers who introduced themselves as "Egay" and
"Tikboy" threatened to kill him. One of the calls was received at Avenido's
office in Quezon City last week and the other in the office of his brother,
Chief Supt. Adolfo S. Avenido, the director of the PNP Health Service in
Camp Crame.

Jaylo, however, said he met with Avenido last Friday and assured the PDEA
director that none of his agents was involved in any plot against him
although he admitted that he indeed has two agents named "Egay" and "Tikboy."

Jaylo later called a press conference to denounce Avenido.

"I expect this thing to come to a head. But virtually rendering me useless
and then accusing my men of plotting to assassinate the very boss we are
working with, is an obvious move with glaring malice," he griped.

Jaylo wondered why Avenido was worried about death threats that were
obviously the work of a prankster or somebody wanting to drive a wedge
between them.

"All of us, especially those in the anti-narcotics units have been
receiving death threats almost on a daily basis. I would say that Avenido
is a veteran in the field and as such, should be able to distinguish
between what is a real and an empty death threat," he said.

Jaylo's Task Force Hunter is occupying a small office at the Rizal Memorial
Coliseum in Manila, far away from the prying eyes of PDEA officers and men
who are stationed at the PDEA national headquarters in Barangay Pinyahan,
Quezon City.