Police colonel linked to shabu lab probed

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – A police colonel (superintendent) assigned in the province was “administratively relieved” from his post to pave the way for an impartial investigation after the caretaker of a shabu laboratory raided in La Union last week tagged him as their alleged protector.

Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, provincial police director, clarified though that the relief of the police official (whose name was withheld pending investigation) effective Monday does not mean that the “accusation is synonymous with guilt.”

“Accusing is one thing, proving your accusation is another thing,” he said.

“Let’s give him (police official) the benefit of a doubt in line with our democratic principles,” he added.

The police colonel has filed a leave of absence to give way to a fair and impartial investigation.

Dante “Tomas” Palaganas, one of the arrested caretakers of the shabu lab busted in Barangay Binmotobot, Naguilian, La Union, told reporters that the police colonel had given protection to the syndicate that maintained the illegal facility.

A combined team of the local and provincial police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized several truckloads of chemicals and equipment, which they said could produce shabu worth a trillion pesos.

The police official admitted that Palaganas used to be his informant. But he added that Palaganas could only be using him as a scapegoat, thinking this might get him off the hook.

Superintendent Jane Aunzo, PDEA head in the Ilocos region who was assigned to lead a task force probing the Naguilian shabu lab, told The STAR in a phone interview that three policemen, including the police colonel, face investigation, although he refused to name them.

The task force convened yesterday afternoon to begin its investigation.

Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, spokesman of the Philippine National Police, said the police colonel is now under the custody of Chief Superintendent Romeo Hilomen, Ilocos regional police director.       – With Jun Elias