Is this one reason why the illegal drug problem in the country continues to persist?
Congressmen learned during a House Committee on Dangerous Drugs hearing Tuesday, Feb. 21 about a "commission" scheme allegedly perpetrated by informants or tipsters wherein they get "paid" with up to 30 percent of confiscated illegal drugs from anti-narcotics operations.
This was revealed to the panel by no less than Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Virgilio Moro Lazo, who attended the hearing as a resource person.
The revelation was preceded by a manifestation from committee chairman, Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, about the alleged "recycling" of seized illegal substances during such operations.
"There are reports that some of the agents, or some of the PNP (Philippine National Police) personnel who apprehend pushers are actually recycling back yung mga nahuli at may usapan na porsyento (the seized drugs, while discussing commission percentages). They will surrender yung ebidensya (the evidence) but retain a large quantity," Barbers said.
To this, Lazo said: "I only assumed the position on Nov. 19, Mr. Chairman and I had the chance of talking to some informants or assets that recall, especially during the time the PNP had problems with the edict, there were agents offering to give us---ang term sir nila, 'trabaho' eh. 'Magbibigay kami ng trabaho (their term is 'job'. We will offer a job)'."
Lazo continued: "So I personally sat down with some of them. Eh ang sistema sir (So the system is), I do not have to spend anything. They will do all the work but they are asking 30 percent of the actual seizures (confiscated drugs) as their payment."
But the PDEA official was quick to tell the solons that he wasn't tolerating such payment system with the tipsters.
"So I outrightly told them that as far as my administration is concerned, we are only to give them monetary value through our rewards system. That is my experience.
"So until this moment, I tell our agents in PDEA, if they are offers for operations to be launched or initiated , we will only give them the monetary value of their actions. I do not allow the payment of drugs...for their efforts," Lazo said.
Barbers sounded disturbed, but not too surprised from what he heard.
"I think that's a revealing statement....that's a very serious drug problem," said the drug panel chairman and veteran lawmaker.
According to Barbers, this commission set-up essentially ensures that 30 of all seized drugs would go back to the streets, thereby sustaining the drug menace.
ALSO CLICK:
"Yung asset (informant) kasi mayroon siyang link with the users and drug lords eh. Kaya pala paulit-ulit. Pabalik-balik yung droga sa kalsada (The informant has links to the users and drug lords. That's why it becomes a cycle. The drugs keep returning to the streets," the Nacionalista Party (NP) stalwart said.
Before the hearing's conclusion, Barbers approved a motion for the committee to conduct a motu proprio investigation on the alleged commission scheme.
A motu proprio probe allows the committee to hold the inquiry sans the filing of a resolution from the solons.