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Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Execs asked favors from me, anti-drug chief says
By Danilo V. Adorador III
Correspondent
PRIVATE law practitioners and government officials in the region--among them a Cagayan de Oro City councilor--had been asking favors from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10 to reduce the charges of some arrested drug suspects.
The expose, however, was dismissed by a city official who said PDEA 10 Director Rene Obre "was just trying to deflect the real issue."
"The issue is command responsibility, he must answer this. If his men continue to terrorize citizens with their extortion schemes, then he must go," the official who requested anonymity told this paper Tuesday.
At the City Council session Monday, Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya batted for the localization of law enforcement agencies including PDEA.
Councilor Nacaya said it was difficult for the City Government to intervene with PDEA's problems since the anti-drug agency reports to its national office in Manila, not on the local officials.
Not succumb
Among the officials in the region allegedly asking for considerations from him are a Camiguin town mayor who allegedly tried to "negotiate" in behalf of a friend arrested for drug pushing, a high- profile lawyer belonging to the opposition camp in Cagayan de Oro City, and other public officials and attorneys Orbe said he would not rather name.
Mambajao Municipal Mayor Gogo Romualdo denied immediately that he sought favors from Orbe, but admitted that he personally spoke to the latter "to remedy the case."
Orbe pointed to Councilor Alvin Calingin, who is a practicing lawyer, as the city official who asked for favors in behalf of the latter's clients.
The PDEA 10 chief however was quick to clarify that favors being asked by said lawyers and officials did not violate any law.
"These are people who came to me to ask favor in behalf of their relatives, friends and clients. I can't also blame them because people go to them for help because of their functions," Orbe explained.
In the case of Councilor Calingin, Orbe said it was "natural" for Calingin to intervene in behalf of his clients.
Orbe would not say what sort of assistance Calingin and other lawyers would ask from him, but he admitted most of the personalities asking his "help" would seek to downgrade the cases to lesser charges. He said he did not succumb to any of these requests.
Suspended
With all the extortion and bribery charges some of his men are involved with, Orbe said he is innocent of whatever his men have committed.
"Dili ko mahangyo (I can't be persuaded) and I can't be bought," Orbe said, though he told a local daily Monday that he can be bought for P50,000,000 if hypothetically asked of his "price."
Orbe also denied protecting police officer Isah Taurac, the PDEA 10 agent accused of extortion by the family of suspected drug pusher Eric Jabagat.
The PDEA 10 official earlier was suspected of taking the cudgels for Taurac after admitting he shelled out from his pocket P20,000 in return for bribe money allegedly received by Taurac.
"I suspended him for 15 day since August 25. We will also file charges against him," Orbe said. He said he is just waiting for the Jabagat family to issue formal statements.
(August 31, 2005 issue)
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