Senate reso seeks probe into PDEA’s alleged practice of rewarding assets with confiscated drugs

Senate public order and dangerous drugs chairperson Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa has filed a resolution seeking to look into the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's alleged practice of rewarding its informants with 30% of confiscated drugs in successful operations.

Proposed Senate Resolution 508 was filed after PDEA Director-General Moro Virgilio Lazo exposed this alleged new modus at a House of Representatives hearing in February.

"This alleged new policy of PDEA is disturbing as this perpetuates the  circulation of illegal drugs in the streets by the government agency that is tasked to fight against illegal drugs," Dela Rosa, a former national police chief, said in his resolution.

"To continue our relentless fight against illegal drugs, there is a need to ensure that such fight must be imbued with integrity and honor, without compromising the values that our institutions and agencies stand for," he added.

Dela Rosa argued that PDEA has an annual confidential fund allocation used for the payment of rewards to encourage the public to report to authorities the illegal activities in their communities.

GMA News Online asked PDEA Spokesperson Derrick Carreon to comment on the matter but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

In February, House dangerous drugs panel chairperson Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers said his committee will investigate  police assets or informants and PDEA agents who allegedly secure portions of confiscated illegal drugs in order to sell them.

In December last year, Dela Rosa delivered a privilege speech claiming that drug syndicates are back with a vengeance.

Dela Rosa was then-President Rodrigo Duterte's first PNP chief. He was at the forefront of the administration's war on drugs throughout much of Duterte's term. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News