Senate urged to pass magna carta bill for PDEA agents

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Wilkins Villanueva on Tuesday urged the Senate to pass the measure on the magna carta for PDEA agents.

During the Senate public order committee’s investigation into the alleged abduction of PDEA agent Merton Fesway, Senator Imee Marcos asked if PDEA agents are given incentives or rewards whenever they catch big-time drug operators.

She raised the query as she pointed out that some PDEA agents might be eyeing for rewards as the agency is “underfunded and undermanned.”

“Of course, PDEA has been underfunded and undermanned that perhaps these rewards are actually having a counter-effect meaning ito ang hinahabol kaya nagso-solo, tama ba 'yon (they want to get a reward that is why they want to do a solo operation. Isn’t that correct)?” Marcos asked.

In response, Villanueva told the panel that the PDEA is “well-funded” up to the regional offices. He even said that the budget for the agents and the provincial offices were “doubled.”

However, the benefits that the agents are receiving are not sufficient, especially if it will be compared to other law enforcers, specifically the members of the police force.

“What they are looking for is mapasama sana kami doon sa nare-receive ng uniformed personnel. Kaya dito papasok yung magna carta or benefit for PDEA personnel,” Villanueva said.

(What they are looking for is the grant of the same benefits received by the uniformed personnel. In order to do this, we need the magna carta or benefit for PDEA personnel.)

“Itong reward reward na ito ang inaasahan lang ng mga ahente natin dito commendation, okay na sa kanila e, but ang inaaasahan nila is mapasama lang sana ang ahente, mapabilang lang sana kami, at maintindihan kami na kami po ay nakikipaglaban din. Nagbubuwis din kami ng buhay just like members of the uniformed personnel,” he added.

(Our agents do not think about these rewards. They are happy with the simple commendation. But they hope that they will be compensated like other uniformed personnel. We are risking our lives here just like the members of the uniformed personnel.)

Marcos also asked Villanueva about the benefits received by the surviving families of the slain PDEA agents.

The PDEA chief lamented that the families of the slain agents only receive the provident fund contributions and voluntary mutual assistance fees they have paid.

He added that PDEA agents cannot avail of  insurance as a group as it is prohibited under the law.

“So ang matatanggap ninyo lang is yung mayroon kaming binibigay for the agency at ‘yung GSIS [contribution] mo lang, unlike sa PNP at sa other military uniformed personnel e talagang meron talagang naka-allot na talagang matatanggap. Doon sa mga ahente namin na namatay in line of duty, wala pong ganyan ang PDEA,” he said.

(What they receive are the contributions that the agents paid for and their GSIS contributions, unlike in the PNP and other military and uniformed personnel who really receive the allotted benefits from the government. The PDEA agents who died in line of duty are not entitled to that.)

“Kaya every time na—lalo na ngayon may COVID—ilan na po ang namatay sa amin, nakakalungkot dahil kung hindi ka insured, wala ka talagang matatanggap,” he added.

(That’s why it is saddening that every time an agent dies, especially now that there is COVID, they will not receive anything unless they are insured.)

Senator Ronald dela Rosa, chair of the Senate public order panel, said they will take in Villanueva’s appeal.

Dela Rosa said the Magna Carta for PDEA agents might not face “a stiff adversarial reaction” from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) considering the measly number of agents in the agency as compared to other law enforcement bodies.

According to Villanueva, there are around 1,800 agents and less than 3,000 staffers in PDEA.

Dela Rosa further pointed out that PDEA agents may be prone to temptation if they will not receive proper compensation from the government.

“You can just imagine the comparison, yung PNP nga na nadoble na 'yung sweldo, nandiyan na 'yung mga benefits nila, still meron pa rin na-stray away, napunta sa masamang landas. Itong PDEA, kung hindi malakas ang loob mo dito, di malakas 'yung prinsipyo mo, kung ganun lang kaliit matatanggap mo nandiyan lahat 'yung mga temptation na gumawa ng kalokohan, baka mamaya… mas mabilis sila itong ma-tempt na gumawa  ng kalokohan,” he said.

(You can just imagine the comparison, in the PNP where the officers' salaries were doubled and the benefits were provided, there are still officers who went astray. In PDEA, if your principles and core values are not intact, you will be tempted to commit wrongdoings especially if you are not compensated well.)

The bill on PDEA agents’ benefits is already referred to the House committee on appropriations, Villanueva said.

On the other hand, Marcos suggested to tackle the PDEA chief’s concern during the upcoming Senate  2022 budget deliberations.—AOL, GMA News