Drug queen who sells recycled drugs from ‘ninja cops’, a politician — PDEA

The Manila-based "drug queen" who is buying confiscated drugs allegedly from law enforcement officers is a politician, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director-General Aaron Aquino said on Wednesday.

According to a report by Dano Tingcungco in GMA News TV's State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, Aquino said that the drug lord had strong connections in the government.

"May kapatid itong pulis. Nasa pulitika siya so she is so powerful and she has connections with the local government officials and with the Philippine National Police," Aquino said.

"Mayroon pa siyang ibang relatives na involved sa drugs who [are] politicians also," he added.

Aquino said that the politician had 17 distributors of the illegal drugs she acquired from "ninja cops." These dealers include some barangay officials.

"Ninja cops" is the derogatory term used to describe corrupt policemen who sell illegal drugs which have been confiscated in drug busts.

The drug queen's sources of drugs among law enforcers also protect her operations.

Previous operations against her had failed because of leaked information from her assets in the government.

"Pag natunugan nila na parating kunwari ang mga law enforcement agencies, they feel na magkakaroon ng operations, iche-checkpoint nila, parang instant checkpoint," Aquino said.

"Siyempre it will take time habang nagche-checkpoint, pwedeng linisin 'yung lugar, 'yung target area," he added.

Two to three kilos of illegal drugs are distributed by the drug queen's group every week in the Manila area alone, Aquino said.

"Two things happen with the illegal drugs that [are] being kept. Number one, nire-recycle ito through selling the drugs. Number two, they can use it in future operations. For example, drug planting," Aquino said.

On Monday, the PDEA chief revealed that drug recycling was still rampant. He mentioned that the agency aims to neutralize a Manila-based female drug lord.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac agreed with the findings of PDEA that some errant cops still engages in "nefarious and illegal acts."

"That is the reason why the PNP's campaign on internal cleansing remains relentless and we will not stop until all rogue cops are weeded out and charged in court," Banac said. —Dona Magsino/NB, GMA News