PDEA frees suspected drug dealer after agent fails to sign papers

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday freed a 22-year-old suspected illegal drug peddler despite its concerns about the "unusual" release order. Suspect Vince Rendell Yu was released on an order issued by San Juan City assitant prosecutor Myrna Binalay, according to GMA News' Joseph Morong in his report aired over QTV's "Balitanghali." Yu was arrested last Monday for allegedly selling cocaine to a PDEA agent. His release came at the height of the "Alabang Boys" drug trafficking case which involves scions of well-off families. In an earlier interview with GMA's Sandra Aguinaldo on Wednesday, Binalay said he ordered the release because the arresting officer, Julie Tejido, could not show any ID and failed to sign the inquest order. "Normally sa batas po, nire-require natin sila mag-present ng ID for me to determine [na] siya yung taong nasa harap ko, ay siya rin ung pipirma sa affidavit of arrest. So I asked the PDEA officer to produce the PDEA ID. Sabi niya wala daw, sinurrender niya. [I asked her if she has] ATM? wala daw, [how about] driver's license? wala daw," Binalay said in a separate TV interview Wednesday. ["Normally, under the law we require them to present an ID for me to determine if the person before me is the same person who would sign the affidavit of arrest. So I asked the PDEA officer to produce her PDEA ID and she told me she had none. She said she surrendered it and it was at her office. I asked her then if she has an ATM card, she said she did not have any. I asked her if she has driver’s license, she also said she had none."] Binalay also questioned PDEA’s evidence gathering. She said the cocaine PDEA got from the suspect was only marked and photographed at the PDEA office. She pointed out that under Republic Act 9165 markings should have been done at the scene of the crime. For his part, the PDEA chief, Director General Dionisio Santiago, believes the suspect should remain under PDEA custody. He added they would appeal the release order before the Justice Department as the city assistant prosecutor used a mere "technicality" against them. At the House of Representatives Wednesday, Major Ferdinand Marcelino – head of PDEA Special Enforcement Services – the release order for Yu was "unusual" since he was only apprehended last Monday and was yet to undergo inquest. "This is very unusual dahil hindi pa nadadala yung ano [suspect] doon, kung baga i-inquest palang siya may [release] order na," Marcelino, who is also in the center of the controversy involving the so-called "Alabang Boys," Marcelino said. ["This is very unusual since the suspect was yet to be brought to the prosecutor’s office. In other words there’s already a release order when Yu is yet to undergo inquest."] But Binalay refuted Marcelino’s statement, saying the suspect underwent inquest Tuesday. Yu was picked up by his mother, Victoria, at the PDEA office. She said she felt relieved that his son was freed. The report said Yu would still have attend the preliminary investigation scheduled for Jan. 22 and Jan. 29. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV