Ex-CIDG chief wants anti-drug ops cleared by single agency

A former police official turned lawmaker has called on the national government to designate a particular government agency as the sole authority for clearing large-scale anti-drug operations following the arrest of Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, in a raid in Manila last week.

ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Samuel Pagdilao made the suggestion Sunday as he called on the Congressional Oversight Committee on Dangerous Drugs to investigate the arrest of Marcelino, a former head of Special Enforcement Service of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Pagdilao, a former director of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said that having a single government agency certify the particulars of a massive anti-drug operation will avoid duplication, compromise, misrepresentation and/or abuse in its conduct.

“A certification from a government agency, that is to be held confidential until events like this occurs, should be made in order to avoid compromising the mission,” he said in a statement.

Marcelino, a Marine officer, was arrested together with Chinese national Yan Yi Shou alias Randy in a raid at a suspected shabu lab inside a Manila townhouse by a joint team from the PNP and the PDEA.

Marcelino has denied involvement in the illegal drug trade, saying he was performing surveillance work for the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).

His claim, however, has been denied by Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento and AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hernando Iriberri.

He is facing non-bailable charges of manufacture, conspiracy to manufacture, and possession of illegal drugs.

While questions on the veracity of Marcelino’s claim remain, Pagdilao said the incident could have been avoided if there was a particular government agency which had jurisdiction for clearing anti-illegal drug raids.

“The status of his supposed undercover work could have been clarified – whether he is truly one of the bad guys or one of our good guys,” he said. —ALG, GMA News