By Cindy Ferrer/PNA
ILOILO CITY — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 6 (Western Visayas) has a new regional director.
David Garcia, spokesperson of PDEA-6, said Alex Tablate, former deputy director of PDEA-8 (Eastern Visayas), is now officer-in-charge of PDEA here following the relief of regional director Emerson Margate and seven other agents.
The relieved PDEA personnel were part of the team that raided the house of the Regalado family in Barangay Sambag in Jaro, Iloilo City last December 13, where an estimated PHP380,000 worth of suspected shabu and firearms were recovered by authorities.
Garcia said the relief order issued by PDEA Director Aaron Aquino took effect last December 17.
“They were temporarily staying at the headquarters waiting for their new assignment,” Garcia said.
While Margate has been replaced by Tablate, Garcia said they are still waiting for their central office to designate agents to replace the seven who were relieved.
Earlier, Aquino expressed dismay over the raiding team of PDEA-6 for failing to file drug charges against the three brothers and a sister-in-law of the wife of slain drug lord Melvin Odicta.
The failure of PDEA-6 to file the charges paved the way for Nilda Regalado and her husband Arnolfo Regalado, as well as Arnolfo’s siblings Cyril and Leo to be released after their arrest last week.
Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 director, said in previous interview, the suspects were not charged by PDEA-6 due to a delay in the preparation of the documents.
PDEA-6 has blamed their broken photocopier and printer for the delay in preparing the documents, Bulalacao said.
The charges they were supposed to file were not accepted by the state prosecutor because they exceeded the reglementary period, he added.
The incident caused worry to PRO-6 because the drug suspects may escape and avoid prosecution after being released.
It even prompted him to submit a request to PDEA’s hierarchy to investigate the incident because its Regional Drug Enforcement Unit assisted during the raid.
