PDEA gives 5 informants over P3M in cash reward

MANILA, Philippines - Five civilian informants on Monday over P3.5 million in cash rewards from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's information collection program.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said that the Operation Private Eye is a citizen-based information collection program of the PDEA, the Dangerous Drugs Board and various non-government organizations involved in the battle against illegal drugs.

"OPE is a reward and incentive scheme designed to counter fear and lack of concern as stumbling blocks to active participation of the citizenry in reporting any suspected illegal drug activities in their communities," Cacdac said.

The five informants, who received their monetary rewards at the PDEA national headquarters in Quezon City, were identified through their codenames: Cold Ice 2, Storm, Tiger, Eboy and Playboy.

They provided information which led to the dismantling of a small clandestine laboratory and the successful arrests of several high value drug personalities during buy-bust operations, implementation of search warrant, interdiction operation and the confiscation of large volume of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, ephedrine and controlled precursors and essential chemicals.
          
"Our five informants were identified only by their codenames and wore ski masks in order to conceal their identities. All information that goes through Operation: Private Eye are classified and handled with utmost confidentiality," Cacdac said.

Of the informants, Eboy got the biggest reward worth P2 million.

Eboy provided information which resulted in the seizure of 79.833 kilograms of shabu and the arrest of three drug personalities during the implementation of a search warrant in LPL Ranch, Barangay Inosluban, Lipa City, Batangas on December 25, 2013.

The Private Eye Rewards Committee, composed of members from academe, non-government organizations, law enforcement, religious and business sectors, approved a resolution granting over  P3.574 cash rewards to the five informants after careful study and deliberation.