Covert sleuthing of elements of the elite Provincial Intelligence Branch of the Provincial Public Safety Company of the Bohol Philippine National Police and Criminal Intelligence and Detention Group (CIDG) blew the cover Friday evening of a Philippine Drug and Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agent as a drug supplier of at least four big towns and one city. This developed as an organic member of the PDEA Region VII was exposed as a drug personality cum protector after he was arrested in a mobile drug transactions spanning from Palma St., then to CPG Avenue near the BPI Bank and finally at the K of C Drive, all of this city. The last stop of their illegal trade is a just a few meters away from their PDEA office. It took all of more than a year before the legal cover of IO1 Steven Valles y Lumiton, 34 of 859 Kalubihan, Sangi, Toledo City was blown off by intelligence operatives of Camp Dagohoy. A combined team of PPSC, PIB and CIDG elements numbering 15 led by Chief Inspector Jovito Atanacio cornered the high-value target in a buy-bust operations near the PDEA office. According to the PNP, the suspect was ranked as level 3 target or drug supplier in the hierarchy of drug sources.

The PDEA cum drug supplier according to police sources supplied until he was collared Friday evening the drug requirements of the City of Tagbilaran and such big drug consumers as Inabanga, Ubay, Carmen and Jagna. The same police sources said that the agent plied his trade in Bohol although assigned at PDEA Region VII. Bohol is part of his jurisdiction. His stint in Bohol is during Fridays and Saturdays after he takes law school at the Bohol Institute of Technology -International College (BITIC). The double life of the PDEA operative came under suspicion last May when a drug personality identified as Erick Manayaga of legal age was arrested in a raid at his residence In Carmen town. Upon interrogation, he dropped broad hints that his protector and supplier was a PDEA agent. No less than Carmen Mayor Conchita Toribio de los Reyes, in a radio interview, dropped the Manayaga bombshell saying that his drug trade was under the protection of a PDEA agent. Manayaga’s name dropping did not help him any to escape prosecution and he is still in jail awaiting trial for drug pushing whose quantity of prohibited substance seized in his possession was beyond the bailable range. As reports of the PDEA agent’s involvement in the illegal drug trade in Bohol circulated around, crack operatives started building up a case against the suspect leading to the capture of the PDEA agent.

SIEZED IN HIS POSSESSION

The arrest of the “double agent” resulted in the seizure in his possession of at least three large plastic transparent cellophane, believed to be shabu and medium and small sized sachets worth P85,000. Also found in his possession was a cal 45 pistol, 30 rounds live ammunitions, four units cell phones, one PDEA badge, padlocks, cash money amounting to P116,250.00 and several identification cards. The suspect was arrested along with an asset who accompanied him in his mobile drug deals in the different parts of this city. Tagged as a big-time supplier, the drug and bust money amounted to P85,000, an indication that the double agent sold shabu in large quantity. In an inventory conducted following the buy-bust, S/Police Supt. Constatinoi Paul Barot, Jr., provincial police director, personally made the supervision to see to it that no hanky panky would take place as the paraphernalia seized were being itemized.

According to Supt. Barot, the inventory was aimed to prevent any untoward incident where the seized items were either lost or missing. In some cases, the inventory of seized paraphernalia was where “miracles” do happen where the quantity became lesser as to what have been confiscated in the actual operations. This way, with the quantity of prohibited substance becoming lesser, chances of bailing out the suspect becomes inevitable. This time, Supt, Barot made it clear that no hocus-pocus would happen in the apprehension of the suspect and the corresponding prohibited substance seized in his possession. But what bothered police operatives led by SUpt. Barot as they inventoried the drug haul was the refusal of the PDEA representative to sign the certificate of inventory. He was reportedly cautioned by his superior in Cebu City not to sign anything regarding the arrest of the PDEA agent cum drug supplier. .

SUSPECT INTERVIEW

While the suspect was in the custody of the arresting officers, the Post tried to extract information from him but he chose to keep mum. He is now detained at the Bohol PNP jail in Camp Dagohoy. One interesting development attending the arrest of the PDEA agent was the report that he cried the night following his apprehension upon learning he was to be transferred to the Cabawan prison facility. According to police sources, the suspect dreaded seeing the possibility of meeting the same people he might have put to jail on drug charges. The suspect feared that he might be harmed by drug suspects spending time at the Cabawan jail. By DAVE RESPONTE