NCRPO denies drug recycling by cops

MANILA, Philippines — National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar denied yesterday that rogue policemen continue to recycle and sell seized drugs in Metro Manila.

Eleazar said he appreciated the support of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino in the government’s campaign against drugs.

“But with all due respect, I cannot agree completely with his statement about the recycling of drugs by the police,” Eleazar said.

During a Senate hearing on Monday, Aquino claimed that a drug lord has been buying shabu confiscated by police during anti-narcotics operations.

Aquino said their sources have confirmed that unscrupulous police officers used the seized drugs to either sell or use these as planted evidence in bogus operations.

“There are still reports of recycling of illegal drugs. It’s still rampant, especially among operatives down the line,” Aquino told senators during his agency’s budget hearing.

He said some P22 billion worth of seized drugs remain in the government’s inventory. 

“Unless he can identify these policemen with validated reports, the statement made by the PDEA chief could not be proven true,” Eleazar said.

“There could be isolated cases of drug recycling by policemen, but I do not believe that these are the main reason why drugs continue to proliferate in Metro Manila,”he added.