PDEA to NCRPO: Binondo checkpoint legal

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Dionisio Santiago belied reports yesterday that his men set up an illegal checkpoint at the Jones Bridge in Manila Wednesday night.

In a statement, he said the anti-illegal drug checkpoint was properly coordinated with the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Santiago said PDEA’s Metro Manila Regional Office (MMRO) also coordinated with the District Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Groups (DAID-SOTGs) of the Manila Police District (MPD) and the Northern Police District.

He said they have a certificate of coordination, an authority to operate and pre-operation reports to prove that they set up the checkpoint legally.

“Moreover, our agents were all wearing proper uniform, with corresponding identification. Four police officers from MPD Station 11 under Superintendent Nelson Yabut likewise augmented the PDEA operatives,” he noted.

Santiago emphasized further that a green Mitsubishi Adventure with red PDEA-MMRO license plate markings and a top light was parked in the area to help establish that it was a PDEA checkpoint.

Santiago said PDEA agents filed charges against Chinese nationals Zhen Lian Li, 37, and Sun Shimin, 40, for allegedly driving while drunk. The two men are residents of Binondo, Manila.

Manila cops belie PDEA claims

MPD director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay said yesterday that PDEA agents did not coordinate with his men when they set up the anti-drug checkpoint.

“I checked with the secretariat of the MPD’s (DAID-SOTG) and verified that there was no coordination made by PDEA,” Magtibay told The STAR.

He said this “illegal” checkpoint should not happen again to appease the fears of the Chinese community in Binondo.

Yabut clarified that he did not augment the PDEA operatives with his policemen, but only called for back-up when he saw there was a commotion because the PDEA agents wanted to bring the Chinese to their office, rather than to the police station. He was on his way home when he noticed the commotion.

“I observed a PDEA agent pointing his Armalite at one of the Chinese, which is not proper, considering that the man had not done a criminal act. I mediated and requested PDEA to bring the Chinese to the police station for investigation,” Yabut said.       

Meanwhile, a Manila prosecutor ordered the release of the two Chinese pending further investigation, according to Yabut.

NCRPO director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales, who earlier said the PDEA checkpoint was illegal, refused to issue any more comments on the incident, except to say that he summoned the PDEA agents involved in the operation to his office.  – With Nestor Etolle