AUTHORITIES have arrested a reinstated policeman who was caught sniffing illegal drugs in a surveillance video.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said Patrolman Leo Valdez was arrested in a drug bust at the PNR site, Marquez Compound, Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa City around 10 p.m. Monday, September 2.
Valdez was assigned at the Regional Mobile Force Battalion of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
Albayalde was not able to hide his disappointment with Valdez.
“Ang kapal ng mukha mo! Paano ka naging pulis adik ka? Wala ka bang mga anak? Nakakahiya ka! Tapos pag napapahiya kayo kayo pa ang galit. Pero sa ginagawa ninyo sino ang napapahiya kayo o ang PNP?” he said.
“Sino pa ang kasamahan mo jan (sa video)? Sigurado may mga kabatch ka na kasama mo din, sabihin mon a kung sino kung ako sayo,” he added.
Albayalde said the PNP will ensure that Valdez will rot in jail.
Recovered from Valdez during the drug bust were P1,000 worth of illegal drugs.
Albayalde said Valdez was placed under surveillance by the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group for several months over reports of his involvement on illegal drugs.
Validation conducted by the police revealed that Valdez has long been involved in illegal drugs.
Albayalde said the suspect entered the PNP service in 2007 but went on absent without leave in 2014 but he was restored in the service in 2017.
Arrested suspect was brought and placed under the custody of IMEG for further investigation and proper disposition prior for the filing of appropriate administration criminal charges.
As of August 30, Albayalde said 727 active policemen were still on the PNP’s drugs watchlist while there were 391 active cops on President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of drug personalities.
The IMEG has arrested over 200 cops for various offenses. (SunStar Philippines)