PDEA AWARDS P3.2 MILLION TO 16 INFORMANTS

Sixteen informants received monetary incentives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) amounting to P3.2 million on December 19, 2011, in recognition of their vital contribution to the arrest of drug personalities and confiscation of illegal drugs.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Jose S Gutierrez, Jr. personally thanked the sixteen informants who provided PDEA with information to PDEA through Operation: Private Eye (OPE). OPE is a reward and incentive scheme designed to encourage private citizens to report to PDEA any suspected illegal drug activities in their community.

The sixteen informants were identified only through their codenames: Mayumi, Jaguar, Lyn, Tutpik, Nina De Castro, Alfa Lima, Kidlat, Jao, Eagle 2, Golf, Lady Gaga, Art Angel 2, Andrew e, R Star, Dyeta, and Yang Chow.

“We have established appropriate security measures to ensure that our informants are protected. We can assure the public that all the information we receive through Private Eye are being handled with utmost confidentiality,” Gutierrez said, adding that the informants were required to wear masks during the awarding ceremony to disguise their real identity.

The Private Eye Rewards Committee, composed of members from the academe, non-government organizations, law enforcement, religious and business sectors, approved the resolution granting monetary rewards to the sixteen informants after careful deliberation following the result of the purity test conducted on the confiscated dangerous drugs as a result of the report from informants.

Among the informants, Andrew E received the biggest reward worth more than P1 million pesos. His information led to the dismantling of two kitchen-type laboratories one in Antipolo City and another one in Pampanga, the arrest of five drug personalities, and the recovery of almost 600 grams of cocaine on May 30, 2011.

A total of 36 drug personalities, including seven members of an African Drug Syndicate (ADS), were arrested and 76 kilograms of shabu, 39.5 kilograms of cocaine and 89.1 kilograms of marijuana, together with other chemicals, were seized by authorities attributed to OPE information which led to positive anti-drug operations. As a result of OPE, 2 kitchen type laboratories and 3 warehouses were likewise discovered and dismantled.

“The increasing reports PDEA is receiving, particularly through our OPE, is a good indication that we have the trust and confidence of the public. On our part, the public can rest assured that we shall strive harder to be able to sustain that trust and confidence,” Gutierrez said, stressing the importance of active public participation in the successful implementation of the anti-drug campaign. Evangeline DJ Almenario, Public Information Officer, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency