Released drug suspects are police ‘assets’

Three alleged drug users, released after they and five others were arrested in a pot session in Mandaluyong Saturday last week, are police "assets."

Superintendent Jose Gentiles, Mandaluyong City police chief, said the three, Danilo Pelaez, 34; Cris Matilan, 29, and Carlito Asuncion, 32, connived with the police in the arrest of their five companions.

Gentiles, however, pointed out that the police asset angle does not absolve PO3 Virgilio Bismonte, of the station’s Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), of liability after Pelaez was found to be the subject of a bench warrant for drug pushing.

Bismonte, Gentiles said, would be meted a suspension without pay once found guilty of releasing Pelaez, Matilan and Asuncion on his own authority.

According to Gentiles, Bismonte should have conducted a background check on Pelaez. – Non Alquitran