THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 issued an advisory to warn against a new scam on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022.
According to Leia Alcantara, PDEA 7 information officer, the family of a drug suspect recently arrested in Negros Oriental complained that a “Fiscal Angela delos Santos Reyes” had offered to drop the case against their relative if they paid her. When they did, the case was still filed.
The agency learned that a “Fiscal Angela” had also victimized a family in Region 12.
“She would call them and introduce herself as a high-ranking fiscal. In the course of their conversation, she would offer to drop the charges if they gave her money,” Alcantara said in Cebuano.
She said that’s not how the system works.
She said the court is very strict about PDEA and the police going through due process when conducting anti-illegal drugs operations.
After they arrest their target, they bring the latter to their office for questioning. They examine the seized illegal drugs before sending these to the laboratory for additional examination. They file a complaint before the fiscal’s or prosecutor’s office. If the fiscal finds probable cause during preliminary investigation, a case is then filed in court.
Alcantara urged the public to report to their office if they encounter a similar modus.