Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director-General Wilkins Villanueva called on the public to be vigilant and report suspicious looking persons pretending to bePDEA agents.
Villanueva’s call was an offshoot of June 26 incident in Ormoc City where high-value drug personality Ronaldo Galapin, who has been claiming to be a PDEA agent, was arrested during a buy-bust.
PDEA reports disclosed that Galapin had introduced himself as a PDEA agent to operate and boost his illegal drug trade.
At around 5:00 p.m. of June 26, joint operatives of PDEA Regional Office VIII (PDEA ROVIII) under Director Gilbert V. Buenafe and the Ormoc City Police Office arrested Galapin following an entrapment operation in Barangay Salvacion.
The anti-narcotics agents seized seven transparent sachets of suspected shabu weighing about eight grams, one caliber .45 pistol, two magazines loaded with 12 live ammunition, one fake PDEA ID, one fake PDEA badge, one mobile phone and cash amounting to ₱1,138.00 in different denominations.
Galapin is now facing charges for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), and Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. He was charged with “Usurpation of Authority under the Revised Penal Code’’ and violation of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Act Providing for the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition.
Villanueva exhorted the public to report suspicious looking individuals claiming to be PDEA agents through the “Isumbong Mo Kay Wilkins (Tell it to Wilkins” facebook page or at hotline numbers 099-5354-7020 or 093-1027-8212.