PDEA tags SOCO cop, 5 others as drug gang members

MANILA, Philippines - A policeman assigned at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Scene of the Crime Operations and five other men were arrested in separate drug busts in Manila and San Juan del Monte City in Bulacan, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency officials announced yesterday.

PDEA director general Dionisio Santiago said “fingerprint man” Police Officer 2 Christopher Lee was arrested last month in Manila after reportedly selling P80,000 worth of shabu to a PDEA agent.

Lee’s alleged cohorts, Cesar Curabo, Conrado Esteban, Raya Raskal, Benjamin Pasquin and Francisco Chua, were arrested in San Jose del Monte City near its boundary with Caloocan City in a drug bust last March 12.

The drug bust, a joint operation of PDEA agents and police officers in Region 3, followed a running gunbattle in which Curabo was hurt. He was taken to the FEU Hospital for treatment.

Santiago said PDEA’s policy not to present drug suspects to the media soon after their arrest has actually paid off.

He said Lee’s capture led to the subsequent arrest of two more police officers and a non-uniformed personnel of the PNP, whose names have been temporarily withheld.

PDEA Special Enforcement Services chief Maj. Ferdinand Marcelino told reporters Lee belongs to a fairly huge network that is also engaged in robberies. He said exposing Lee will not anymore significantly affect the government’s operation against the syndicate. “We have also found out his linkages [in the drug network],” he said.

Marcelino added that one suspect that got away in the San Jose del Monte City operation was identified only as “Dino.” He said Dino was not the biggest of the drug traffickers in the area but that he is considered a leader because he maintains a big armed group. His suppliers are also on the PDEA list.

Marcelino said illegal drug transactions have significantly gone down in the area.