INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año yesterday said counter-intelligence operations are underway against government officials, including those from the PNP, who may be protecting drug syndicates as the government moved to unmask big-time coddlers of the illegal drugs trade.
“We have ongoing counter-intelligence operations against people inside the government who may be protecting (the illegal drugs trade), including inside the Philippine National Police,” Año said, adding the operations are being discussed by the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, composed of representatives from various agencies, including the DILG, PNP, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
The move comes after the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) asked the court last week for authorization to open a full probe into killings linked to the drug war launched by President Duterte in 2016, saying crimes against humanity could have been committed.
Malacanang has said that Duterte will not cooperate with the probe sought by ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda because the country is no longer a member of the Rome statute that established the ICC. The Philippines withdrew from the statute in March 2018.
In a television interview, Año said the illegal drugs trade is a multi-billion industry that began many years ago and syndicates have penetrated the various sectors of the society, an apparent response to criticisms that the illegal drugs trade has increased by leaps and bounds under the Duterte administration.
“So while we were not too focused, they were able to encroach in all aspects of the society,” Año said.
“Those in the government are not necessarily what we call actively involved; possibly they’ve become protector because they were befriended by drugs lords,” he added without giving names.
Año said the connections of drug syndicates are not confined at the law enforcement sector, implying syndicates also have connections in the judiciary.
“It’s a multi-billion dollar business, they can buy people. That’s why what we need here is (a) commitment to once and for all fight and finish drugs because this is destroying the future of our youth,” he said.
Año also gave the Duterte administration a grade of nine (from a high of 10) in the campaign against illegal drugs. “I think the President is at nine,” he said.
He also said that 90 percent of barangays were drug-infested before the President assumed office, adding that 19,000 of these barangays have been cleared of illegal drugs.
“Up to the level of barangays, you can feel the feel the effort is complete, both in addressing the demand and supply,” he said.
Año said operations are ongoing against drug traffickers but added two of them, former Iloilo City mayor Jed Mabilog and Peter Lim, may have slipped out of the country.
“The other leaders, if you are going to see it, they are no longer in the country or are hiding and currently subject of our manhunt,” Año said, adding: “Like Mayor Jed Mabilog, he is already out of the country. The other we are pursuing, Peter Lim, is missing and we believe he is out of the country.”
Año also encouraged the National Bureau of Investigation and other agencies to look into the death of a 16-year-old who was killed in a police anti-narcotics operation in Biñan, Laguna last week.
Police said the boy, Johndy Maglinte, was killed along with a drug peddler, Antonio Dalit, when they reportedly fought it out with policemen out to arrest Dalit on a drug-related warrant of arrest.
PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar has placed 10 policemen involved in the controversy under restricted custody pending a probe on the incident. Relatives of the victims alleged the boy and the suspect were executed by the cops.
“In fact, we are encouraging other agencies like (the) NBI to conduct investigation to erase doubts from the public. As of now, we are waiting for the report of the Chief PNP and as soon there is already a report, we will make it public,” Año said.
Meanwhile, more than P58 million worth of suspected shabu was seized by combined operatives from the Manila police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Cavite police last Saturday from alleged members of the Tamano drug group.
The group is linked to former Talitay, Maguindanao mayor Montasir Sabal, who was killed last Thursday after he allegedly grappled with the gun of one of the police officers escorting him to Camp Crame in Quezon City, hours after he was arrested in Batangas.
MPD District Director Brig. General Leo Francisco said nabbed during the operation in Imus, Cavite were Tamano Daud, 41; Ismael Daud, 24; Norma Maguid, 36; Bainor Maguid, 23; and Omar Redia, 41.
They were presented by Francisco and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno to the media yesterdasy.
Aside from being on the “narcolist” released by Duterte in 2016, authorities also tagged Sabal as one of the planners of the Davao City bombing in 2016.
The PNP also claimed the former mayor was a “full-time supporter” and supplier of arms and explosives to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. — With Ashzel Hachero and Christian Oineza
