The Southern Police District (SPD) took back its earlier statement identifying an arrested high value drug suspect as an employee of the Taguig City government. 

“The Southern Police District (SPD) would like to issue a clarification regarding the recent arrest of a high-value individual during an anti-illegal drug operation conducted in Taguig City, which has drawn attention from various media outlets and the public,” it said in a statement issued on May 28. 

On May 27, SPD issued a reportstating that the arrested drug suspect, alias Erwin, 20, is “a government employee assigned to the Flood Management Office of Taguig.

Erwin was arrested by the Taguig police in a buy-bust operation on May 26 in Barangay Rizal, Taguig. Seized from him were P711,960 worth of shabu and buy-bust money. 

In its latest statement, the SPD said, “Initial information gathered during the investigation indicated that the suspect was associated with a local government program related to flood management. However, upon further internal verification, it appears that the individual was not a regular or plantilla employee of the City Government.”

It said the suspect is a community volunteer for the flood control program of Taguig. 

“Rather, the suspect had been engaged in a limited, informal capacity as a community volunteer for activities related to flood control. He did not occupy any formal government position nor was he officially part of the city’s regular workforce,” it said. 

It added, “We recognize the importance of accuracy in all public communication and regret any confusion that may have arisen from earlier statements. The Southern Police District remains committed to transparency, fairness, and factual reporting in the course of our operations. We continue to intensify our campaign against illegal drugs and affirm our dedication to protecting our communities through honest and accountable service.”