By Mar Gabriel
Eagle News Service
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has released over P13 million as reward money to its deserving operating units and private informants.
The PDEA Special Enforcement Service, PDEA Intelligence and Investigation Service, PDEA Region 3, PDEA Region 12 and PDEA National Capital Region received over P6 million for their successful anti-drug operations.
The PDEA SES received the biggest reward of P3.5 million for its discovery and dismantling of a shabu laboratory in Cauayan, Isabela in October 2016, and confiscation of 44 kilograms of shabu worth P220 million in Quezon City in November of the same year.
PNP Region 3 received the second-highest reward of P2 million for its successful buy-bust operation that led to the arrest of a Chinese national and the confiscation of almost 50 kilos of shabu worth P249 million in Paranaque City in June 2017.
According to PDEA director general Aaron Aquino, this is the first time they have given cash rewards to their operatives under the agency’s Operation Lawmen.
He said this was primarily aimed at boosting the morale of their men.
“We encourage our law enforcers to do more..Ang bibigyan ng reward ay high-impact operations (na nakakahuli ng) high-value targets,” Aguino said.
PDEA said it has also rewarded around P7.5 million to six civilian informants under PDEA’s Operation Private Eye, an incentive scheme aimed at encouraging private citizens to report illegal drug activities in their neighborhoods.
An informant, for instance, received P2 million for giving the authorities information that led to the confiscation of 162 kilograms of shabu and the arrest of two drug personalities in San Juan City in December 2016.
“We have P20 million for (this) reward system every year…P150 million na ang naipamigay namin sa about 112 claimants,” Aquino said.