PDEA probes cop, state witness nabbed in drug bust

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has launched an internal investigation on the involvement of its two personnel caught in a sting operation in Cabanatuan City.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said he has ordered the agency's Intelligence and Investigation Service to probe the recent arrest of Police Officer 2 Franklin Ariap and Jean Granada, a state witness under the custody of IIS, after they were caught selling shabu during an entrapment operation last December 3.

"I would like to make it clear from the beginning that Granada is not a personnel of PDEA, while PO2 Ariap is on detail with the agency. His task is counter intelligence and not to participate in anti-drug operations," Cacdac said.

Records show that Ariap is a non-commissioned police officer once detailed at the PDEA national headquarters until July 2013 for counter-intelligence purposes.

He has a pending request for extension in the Office of the Chief, Philippine National Police. Ariap was erroneously reported to be a close relative of the PDEA chief.

Cacdac decried the personal attacks being hurled against him.

"There is no truth to such rumors that one of the suspects is a close relative of mine, as reflected in the front page of a daily broadsheet. The statements made are baseless, plain and simple. It is just a smear campaign out to attack my integrity and the agency, This will not deter us from performing our task of going after high value target," he said.

On the other hand, Granada is under the Witness Protection Program after his admission in the commission of theft involving seven kilos of shabu, inside the PDEA compound last 2006.

Cacdac said that an internal investigation is underway to finally thresh out accusations, determine the ones culpable and eventually shed light to the controversy.

"Let the ax fall where it may. We are not covering up any tracks or misdemeanor of anyone who has committed violations of the law," Cacdac said.