THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) awarded on Monday P3.6 million cash rewards to five informants.
PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr. commended the civilian informants identified only through their codenames: Alex, Joel, Ice Crasher, Silent Operator Matanglawin, and Chad, for providing information that led to the arrest of several drug personalities, the confiscation of voluminous amount of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, and marijuana.
“The five informants wore masks during the ceremony in order to protect their anonymity. All information we receive through OPE are being handled with utmost confidentiality,” he said.
The reward was given under PDEA's Operation: Private Eye (OPE), a reward and incentive scheme designed to encourage private citizens to report any suspected illegal drug activities in their community.
Cacdac said the OPE Rewards Committee, which is composed of members from the academe, non-government organizations, law enforcement, religious and business sectors, has approved in a resolution granting a total of P3,681,080.86 monetary rewards to the informants following a careful deliberation.
Among the informants, “Alex” received the biggest reward of P2,000,000. The information he relayed resulted in the seizure of 31,553.80 grams of shabu and the arrest of one drug personality during an entrapment operation in Blue Bay Walk, Edsa Extension, Barangay 76, Pasay City on March 22.
“Joel” received P753,739.58 cash award after providing information that led to the confiscation of 9,779.10 grams of shabu and the arrest of three drug suspects during a buy-bust operation in Networld Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Service Road corner Perla Street, Pasay City on March 22.
P547,057.64 was awarded to “Ice Crasher” who provided information resulting in the arrest of one drug personality and the seizure of 9,623.49 grams of shabu during an entrapment operation in front of Shopsville, Virramall Greenhills Shopping Center, Barangay Greenhills, San Juan City on March 31.
“Silent Operator Matanglawin” was rewarded with P288,000.64 after he supplied information that led to the seizure of 5,136 grams of shabu, and the arrest of three drug personalities following a buy-bust operation in a parking lot of a restaurant along Magallanes Avenue corner Humabon Street, Magallanes Village, Makati City on March 9.
P92,283.00 was awarded to “Chad” whose anti-drug information resulted in the confiscation of 61,522 grams of marijuana and the arrest of three drug suspects during an entrapment operation along McArthur Highway, Barangay San Agustin, City of San Fernando, Pampanga on March 3. (SDR/Sunnex)