Monday, February 18, 2008 4 men caught misusing PDEA name
FOUR men claiming to be operatives of the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 were arrested late Saturday afternoon in Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, while allegedly trying to fleece money from a resident they described as a drug peddling suspect.
The 5:30 p.m. confrontation between Lapu-Lapu policemen and the suspects confused local residents.
When operatives of the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) led by Insp. Conrado Manatad came, the four suspects quickly identified themselves as operatives of PDEA and said they were on a mission to arrest a suspected drug peddler named Junrey Romero Palomar.
But when Manatad asked for their credentials, none of the four was able to present an identification card from PDEA.
Their arrest pleased Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Chief Ronald Roderos, who said he will give the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office an award for thwarting an attempt to extort money from a civilian.
But he said the incident deserves further scrutiny.
“I really don’t know the real score, kasi ang natanggap ko ay ang mahabang (I just received a long) spot report. So I want them to delve deeper into whether these arrested people are really accredited PDEA,” he said.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to reach Acting City Police Director Louie Oppus, but his mobile phone was off.
Remarks in the logbook of the desk officer said the four were detained for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of illegal drugs.
Suspects Ariel Cacha, 34, and Christopher Ybañez, 27, are residents of Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City. Their colleagues Felix Lungat, 25, and Bienvenido Maramara, 34, are residents of Mabolo, Cebu City.
Manatad said he arrested the four for engaging in an illegal drug operation and accosting Palomar, 20, without legal basis.
Both Cacha and Maramara yielded a loaded .38 revolver and a pair of handcuffs. Cacha reportedly had 12 packs of shabu, while Maramara had nine plastic sachets when arrested.
Lungat and Ybañez yielded five plastic sachets of shabu. They had a fifth companion, but he left the place before the police team led by Manatad came. (AIV)
