The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has intensified its internal cleansing program as part of its commitment to weed out erring agents and personnel involved in the illegal drug trade.
PDEA Director General Isidro S. Lapeña issued a strict order across the organization in light of the recent death of Intelligence Officer 1 (IO1) Macario Grasparil, Jr., a PDEA agent assigned in PDEA Regional Office VI (PDEA ROVI), during a buy-bust operation in his residence in District 1, Sibalom, Antique on June 20, 2017.
“Grasparil was the subject of the entrapment operation conducted by joint elements of Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit Central Antique and Sibalom Municipal Police Station. Counter-intelligence reports indicated that he is into the illegal drug activities and allegedly involved in recycling of drug evidence,” Lapeña said.
“The long arm of the law finally caught up with him [Grasparil]. Too bad he is not alive to face the consequences of his actions,” he said.
PDEA is carrying out investigations in the workplace regarding alleged personnel included in the watch list of drug personalities. Once verified, the Agency will not hesitate to arrest one of its own.
On the other hand, the PDEA Internal Affairs Service (IAS) is expediting resolutions on all cases against PDEA agents and personnel who were previously charged administratively. Stiffer disciplinary sanctions await them if they are found liable.
“I am reiterating this stern warning to those who are thinking about doing anomalous and criminal acts. PDEA will be uncompromising on all misdemeanors,” the PDEA chief said, promising a zero-tolerance approach to internal cleansing within the agency. ###
