Bogus agency’s office raided, padlocked

JOINT police, military and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (Paocc) operatives have raided the office of a bogus agency operating under the Office of the President.

Raided on Tuesday was the office of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Commission (PASC) located at stall number 63, HMIJ Foundation Compound, Baliwasan Commercial Complex, Baliwasan village, west of Zamboanga City.

Zamboanga City Police Office Director Edwin de Ocampo said that PASC is an “illegitimate agency of the government.”

De Ocampo said President Benigno Aquino III, through Executive Order No. 18 dated December 9, 2010, even abolished the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG).

De Ocampo said no one was arrested since no one among the respondents identified in the search warrant issued by the Court on Monday were around, as the office was empty.

De Ocampo identified the respondents as Captain Malik Unno, Colonel Karanain Ibrahim, Colonel Kasim, Colonel Massilam, Rommel Salih and Rogel.

However, De Ocampo said two other named respondents - Colonel (ret.) Predencio Enojo and Hadji Bangcula Tawasil Pang Koh - of the search warrant were already arrested along with two policemen in an entrapment on December 29, 2012 in Davao City.

He identified the two police arrested together with Enojo and Koh and Police Office 2 (PO2) Elbonn Appi and PO2 Sibre Esmael.

He warned the public that the PASC is a non-existent agency. He added that they had padlocked the office of PASC in the city.