Gadapan slams PDEA chief

MANILA, Philippines - Dismissed Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency deputy director general Carlos Gadapan accused his former boss yesterday of working on his relief after he told PDEA director general Jose Gutierrez about his wife’s gambling problem.

“Since July 2, there was information (that) the DG was working on my relief on allegation that I’m not aware of,” Gadapan said in an interview yesterday.

Gadapan, a retired policeman, said the information came from his “mistah” at the Philippine Military Academy.

“Bok, tinatrabaho ka ng boss mo (your boss is on your case). Your boss wants you out,” Gadapan quoted his “mistah” as saying.

According to Gadapan, it was Gutierrez who signed an endorsement to Malacañang for his relief.

In an interview with The STAR on Monday night, Gutierrez claimed the decision to relieve Gadapan was beyond his power and that it was an order that came from Malacañang.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said she has no idea why President Aquino relieved Gadapan. “All I was told, when I was advised by Executive Secretary (Paquito Ochoa Jr.) to make the announcement of the relief, is that he was being relieved for loss of confidence,” she said.

The relief order was signed by Ochoa on Sept. 6 in Aquino’s behalf.

Yesterday, Gadapan claimed he approached Gutierrez in June about the alleged gambling activities of the latter’s wife.

“His wife is overexposed in the casino. She was introducing herself as the wife of the DG, borrowing money from financiers. And when was not loaned, she would say she was the wife of the DG,” he said.

Gadapan said he had an informant who told him about the matter. He even said the information had been validated since the vehicle used by the wife was supposedly noted.

“I told him: ‘If you want to meet the informant, I can arrange for a meeting,” Gadapan remembered telling Gutierrez. But he said Gutierrez was in “disbelief” and brushed the allegation as just “chismis (rumor).”

According to Gadapan, he is ready to face any investigation, including the one reportedly at the Senate, saying he could present documents to prove his claim.

“I would not come out if I were not ready. I just want the truth,” he said. – With Delon Porcalla