A POLICEMAN facing drug-related charges has tagged former National Capital Region Police Office Director Joel Pagdilao as the brains behind the reselling of narcotics confiscated during police anti-drug operations, a source at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) told The Manila Times.

Police Officer 2 Jolly Aliangan reported directly to Pagdilao together with 18 other policemen, the NBI source claimed.

The young police officer, who is detained at the NBI, fears for his life, the source added.

“Still there were attempts to accord him with special treatment. However, we will not allow that. He is heavily guarded,” the source said. “I am sure Pagdilao will surface to contact him.”

Pagdilao was named by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte in July as one of five police generals who had protected drug rings.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government is conducting investigations and the National Police Commission is preparing cases to be filed against the “narco-generals,” including Pagdilao.

This week, Duterte bared a plan to offer a P2-million reward for the capture of each police officer re-selling confiscated illegal drugs.

Philippine National Police chief Roland de la Rosa has branded these policemen “ninja cops.”

Aliangan is facing charges for possession of dangerous drugs as well as possession of equipment, instrument, apparatus and other paraphernalia for dangerous drugs, all violations of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

He is also facing a charge for illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions under RA 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, before a Manila court.

Aliangan was arrested in his house on 907 Palanca St. corner Visayas Avenue in Sampaloc, Manila last May 25.
Authorities seized more than 100 grams of suspected shabu, P7 million in cash, firearms and brand-new cars.

He is expected to appear before Judge Reynaldo Alhambra of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 53 on Sept. 15.

Aliangan has asked the court to retain him under NBI custody.

The court is expected to rule on some motions of the accused seeking the release of his cars (a Montero sport utility vehicle and Toyota sedan), cash and other confiscated items.

“His defense was that those pieces of evidence were planted, especially the illegal drugs and firearms,” the source said.

The NBI has requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze the deposits of Aliangan.

The NBI source did not reveal the identities of the 18 other “ninja cops” supposedly under Pagdilao.

“Aliangan was very enterprising. He would convince these 18 others to just turn over to him the illegal drugs and he would take care of their distribution. In the process, he would earn more,” the source said.

‘Narco-general’ meddling?

Another policeman on Thursday claimed one of the so-called “narco-generals” intervened in the anti-drug drive of police in Mandaluyong City.

Senior Police Officer 2 Jun Esperanzate, former head of the Station Anti-Illegal Drugs office of the Mandaluyong City Police, said a police general assigned at the NCRPO summoned him at the headquarters of the Eastern Police District a few years ago and told him to stop apprehending drug suspects in the city.

Esperanzate headed the city’s anti-illegal drug office from 2011 to 2014.

He did not identify the general but said he was one of the five generals named by Duterte.

“Don’t apprehend those involved in illegal drugs,” Esperanzate quoted the general as saying in an interview during an anti-drug forum in Mandaluyong.

He said the verbal order of the police general was overheard by other police officers.

Esperanzate and his men were also told by the general that the police have no right to apprehend drug offenders, and only the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency was allowed to do so.

“We were told that he will issue an order assigning us to Mindanao. At that time we were afraid because if we will be indeed reassigned to Mindanao, the security of our family might be compromised,” Esperanzate said.

Ezperanzate said his group earned the ire of the general when they conducted a background investigation of a man who was frequenting a convicted drug offender inside the women’s correctional in Mandaluyong.
Former Mandaluyong mayor Benhur Abalos confirmed Ezperanzate’s story.

Abalos claimed he was active in fighting illegal drugs, saying he even conducted a surprise drug test on inmates of the Mandaluyong City Jail and was surprised to discover that out of 10 inmates, six tested positive for drug use.

“It means illegal drugs are being transported inside the jail and I was disappointed when the head of the Mandaluyong Bureau of Jail Management and Penology prevented us from continuing the drug test,” Abalos told reporters.

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