(Eagle News) — Five of the seven officials who were included in the new drug new matrix revealed by President Rodrigo Duterte are now in the custody of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
According to PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde, the policemen were called to Camp Crame to attend the investigation that will be conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation due to their alleged involvement in the recycling of illegal drugs.
Those who were called and placed in the Camp Crame police holding unit were Senior Supt. Leonardo Suan, Senior Inspector Lito Pirote, Superintendent Lorenzo Cusay Bacia, Inspector Conrado Caragdag Jr. and Senior Police Officer 4 Alejandro Gerardo Liwanag.
The five police officers used to be assigned at the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force (AIDSOFT) unit.
“In compliance with the orders of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, I have directed the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) and the DPRM (Directorate for Personnel and Records Management) to ensure the availability of six dismissed and active PNP personnel to face investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation in connection with ongoing probe into the reported drug smuggling at the Bureau of Customs,” Albayalde said in a press briefing.
“I have directed the PNP Internal Affairs Service to immediately conduct an investigation to determine whether there is probable cause to file administrative cases against these active PNP personnel,” he said.
The administrative cases that may be slapped against the five active policemen have a maximum penalty of dismissal from the service and forfeiture of retirement benefits.
“(The instruction to us) is we let the NBI do the investigation so we will cooperate with the NBI. We cannot confirm kung (if they are really involved), let the court decide on that. They will be given due process. As we said, we cannot assume that they are guilty unless proven. They will be given due process,” the PNP chief explained.
The two other policemen in the drug matrix are former Police Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto, and former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Deputy Director General for Administration Ismael Fajardo.
Albayalde admitted that they have not received any report about the six policemen in the drug matrix when they were still in the anti-illegal drugs unit of the PNP.
He said they only learned of this during the hearing in Congress on shabu smuggling. This was when one of the witnesses tagged Acierto and Fajardo in the shabu smuggling activities.
“We have no information on them before. But the President has his sources,” said Albayalde.
He, however, is not discounting the possibility that more names would be revealed during the probe.
“This problem has been neglected. In some areas even outside of Metro Manila or regions, it even became a culture. This is why our operations are continuous and we are slowly uncovering the truth,” Albayalde noted.
Acierto who was dismissed from service by the Office of the Ombudsman in August due to its alleged involvement on the “AK47” anomaly, has not yet been called to appear in Camp Crame.
“Ang instruction kasi sa atin is we let the NBI do the investigation. So, we will cooperate with the NBI. On our part nag-start na yung admin case nila being conducted by our internal affairs service,” Albayalde said.
Another policeman included in the drug matrix, Police Senior Supt. Suan , who is now under police custody, said he is ready to face the authorities and the various investigations to prove his innocence.
“Magkakilala kami dahil sa AIDSOTF pero hindi kami magkasama sa grupo. Parang isang unit kami, sila ibang grupo sila. Kaya mas maganda nga sabi ni Presidente imbestigahan, bigyan kami ng pagkakataon kasi kawawa din ang pamilya. Actually naaawa ako sa pamilya ko dahil inalagaan ko ang career ko,” Suan said.
PNP chief Albayalde on his part said if the accused were proven guilty, the PNP is ready to file criminal and administrative charges against the police officers.
“We cannot confirm kung talagang sila nga, let the court decide on that. They will be given due process naman. Sabi nga eh.. Hindi natin pwedeng i-assume they are guilty unless proven,” the PNP chief said.
Acierto and Fajardo were earlier implicated in the smuggling of some PHP11 billion worth of shabu at the customs bureau in August 2017. Because of this, Fajardo has been sacked from his post as PDEA’s number two man.