8 drugbusters nabbed in QC

Eight agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police-Anti Illegal Drugs Special Task Force (PNP-AIDSOTF) were "arrested" in Quezon City after they were caught in the company of a former police officer wanted for kidnapping for ransom.

AIDSOTF chief Director Marcelo Ele Jr. said an investigation would be conducted to determine if a legitimate anti-drug operation in Pampanga ended up as an extortion attempt against six drug suspects.

"AIDSOTF and PDEA are conducting a joint investigation into the matter to get to the bottom of the case and hopefully come up with measures to prevent a similar incident," Ele said.

Last Wednesday, PDEA agents received information on the whereabouts of Inspector Nathaniel Capitanea, a former PDEA member, who is the subject of a warrant of arrest for the crime of kidnapping for ransom.

Chief Inspector Bartolome, of the PDEA Intelligence and Investigation Service, said Capitanea was later spotted at a fastfood restaurant at the corner of Maria Clara and Banawe streets in Quezon City. A team was quickly deployed to arrest him.

Upon reaching the area, the arresting team found out that Capitanea had several armed companions on board six vehicles, prompting them to call for an augmentation force from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and Quezon City Police Station 1 (La Loma).

The movements of the subjects were monitored for almost two hours before PDEA Director Dionisio Santiago and NCRPO chief Director Reynaldo Varilla personally led the arrest of Capitanea.

"Capitanea’s armed companions were identified as PO3 Don Firmalino, PO2 Jose Garcia, PO1 Nelson Mariano, all members of PDEA," Bartolome said.

The other members of the group were identified as Senior Inspector Bienvenido Reydado, Senior Inspector Gilbert Fariñas, Inspector Marco Polo Estrera, PO2 Alexander Alvarez, PO2 Jun-Jun Mataverde, all members of AIDSOTF, plus civilian Richard Villanueva.

However, when the vehicles of Capitanea’s group were searched, police were surprised to find six men, all bound and blindfolded inside a Toyota Town Ace van (XGK-562).

The six were identified as Edgar Pace, 28, Trevor Woodard, 28, Roberto Antonio, 28, Mario David, 43, Joel David, 24 and Danilao Gabriel, 51.

When questioned, the PDEA-AIDSOTF agents claimed that the six were arrested during a buy-bust operation in Pampanga on Oct. 18.

However, the six drug suspects claimed they were victims of extortion.

"The police officers demanded P100,000 each for their release," Bartolome said.

Bartolome said police disarmed members of the PDEA-AIDSOTF team. Taken from them were six 9 mm pistols, a caliber .45 pistol, a .357 magnum revolver as well as six vehicles with plate numbers XGK-562, ZCH-841, WEH-859, ZAU-844, CTP-288 and XCJ-333.

"An investigation will try to determine the lapses in coordination and procedure. Anyway, Gen. Santiago knows we are jointly investigating the case," Ele said. "We don’t want to prejudge the case."

He clarified that AIDSOTF has internal operation procedures, which have safeguards to prevent unauthorized anti-drug operations. He refused to consider whether or not the operation in Pampanga was legitimate. "Let’s just wait for the investigation."

"One thing has been established. Capitanea is a wanted person and his arrest is in line with the campaign both of the PNP and PDEA to cleanse their ranks of misfits and scalawags," Ele said.

Members of the PDEA-AIDSOTF team would be directed to stay at headquarters to ensure their availability during investigation while the six civilians from Pampanga would be slapped with various drug charges.

Sources said the PDEA-AIDSOTF team would be asked to explain why the drug suspects they arrested were blindfolded inside a van.

"Parang napaka-irregular na mula Pampanga dadalhin sila dito sa Manila na nakatali at may piring ang mga mata," said one police officer.

Ele vowed to dismiss from the police service all AIDSOTF officers found guilty of any a wrongdoing. — With Non Alquitran