POLICE Regional Office Eastern Visayas (PRO-8) Director Brigadier General Rommel Francisco Marbil announced on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, the voluntary surrender of Erwin Ogario, the dismissed chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office (PDEA)-National Capital Region (NCR).

“I cannot personally comment on the legal matters faced by former PDEA Director Ogario since this is a subject of court proceedings," said Marbil.

"However, his voluntary submission to this PRO manifests his expression of trust and support to the current administration's internal cleansing efforts,” the police official added.

Ogario was administratively dismissed from service in 2017 for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service in connection to an anti-drug operation in 2015.

Judge Elvira D.C. Panganiban, of Regional Trial Court (RTC)-Branch 227 in Quezon City, issued the warrant of arrest dated January 3, 2019 against Ogario for alleged violation of Section 4, Article II of Republic Act 9165.

The bail for the temporary release of the accused was set at P200,000. (SunStar Philippines)