The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)聽warned the public on Tuesday against persons posing as anti-illegal drug agents to fool people and commit crime.
PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino issued the alert after authorities recently collared a fake PDEA operative and his female companion in Laguna.
In a statement, the PDEA said that Jhay-R Repana, 31; and Rosemimi Facal, 20, initially got involved in a shootout along聽Dr. A. Santos Avenue in Barangay BF Homes, Para帽aque City on the evening of February聽24.
A follow-up operation by Para帽aque City聽police led them to Sta. Rosa Hospital in Laguna since Repana was wounded during the shooting incident. Authorities consequently checked Repana鈥檚 vehicle parked nearby.
During the vehicle inspection, investigators discovered聽one caliber 38 revolver with pieces of ammunition, one聽plastic sachet containing suspected 鈥渟habu,鈥� as well as one improvised tooter and lighter.
Aquino said Repana identified himself as a PDEA operative, and even showed an聽identification card to arresting authorities.
鈥淚t comes as no surprise that there are people who聽misrepresent themselves as PDEA agents or as members of other聽law enforcement units to perform their illegal activities,鈥� Aquino pointed out.
鈥淥ur agents have undergone rigorous training for months,聽imbibing in them the core values of the PDEA organization. We will聽not tolerate unscrupulous people who pretend to be our agents and聽tarnish the Agency鈥檚 integrity just like that,鈥� he also lamented.
According to Aquino, the suspects will be charged for possession of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia in violation of Republic Act 9165,聽or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Repana and Facal will also be charged for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition,聽usurpation of authority as well as alarm and scandal, Aquino added.
鈥淭he PDEA advices the public to immediately report any聽individuals introducing themselves as PDEA Agents while committing聽a criminal act,鈥� the PDEA chief said.
The public, Aquino said, may text their report to the following numbers 24/7: 0999-888-7332 for SMART, 0925-573-7332 for Sun, and 0927-915-0616 for Globe.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 /kga