Ex-PDEA chief says he'll bare corruption in anti-drug ranks

A former-director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said he would reveal the names of police supposedly involved in the drug trade.

Ret. Gen. Dionisio Santiago told Jun Veneracion in a report on 24 Oras that he would even identify a police general who became a big-time drug lord in Mindanao after his retirement.

"'Wag yung nasa itaas lang. Bumaba ka down to regional level dahil may mga infested na rin sa ibaba. 'Yung iba diyan, itatago yung mga bata nila para nandyan pa rin, ililipat ng assignment para ilo-low profile assignment pero nandyan pa rin," Santiago said on Thursday.

On the police general, he said,  "Nag-retire, yun ang alam ko, somewhere in the south. Nabalitaan ko nung umikot ako, nagulat ako, 'yun pala. Dati alam ko sa illegal fishing lang 'yun eh. Balita ko siya na may kontrol na ng droga dun sa area. New player, new boss."

PDEA Spokesperson Glen Malapad denied Santiago's accusations and said they were merely the ex-chief's opinions.

While Philippine National Police Spokesperson C/Supt. Wilben Mayor concurred with Santiago's call to get rid of corrupt policemen, he asserted that they have taken steps to clean up their ranks.

"Dapat sila na nga umalis at dapat silang lumutang o umalis sila sa serbisyo because wala silang puwang sa ating organisasyon," Mayor said.

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte declared at a press briefing on May 30 that he would mobilize the army to arrest police found complicit in the drug trade.

"I will put to use the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Para kayong mga pulis, hinuli, general ka, tawagin ko yung private's army. Barilin mo. Ganun lang ang paraan para mahinto ang droga," Duterte said.

Army Spokesperson Col. Benjie Hao said they are ready to fulfill this mandate should Duterte give them marching orders.

"The Philippine Army is a professional organization. If we receive an order to organize that kind of force to fight against criminality, definitely meron kaming, mago-organize kami," Hao said. —Rie Takumi/JST, GMA News