Cop, 2 cohorts nabbed in drug bust
Camp Olivas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga — A police officer and his two civilian cohorts on Friday were arrested in a drug bust in Tarlac.
PRO3 director Brig. Gen. Valeriano T. De Leon identified the arrested suspects as drug target Marvin Gadia, of Bgy. Calayaan, Gerona, Tarlac; Joel Umagat, of Bgy. Sto. Domingo, Tarlac City; and PCpl Geymar Orquero, assigned at the Tarlac City police and resident of Bgy. Sto Domingo, Tarlac City.
The suspects were nabbed by operatives of the Gerona MPS SDEU, Tarlac PPO PDEU and Tarlac City PS in an entrapment in Bgy. Calayaan, Gerona. Seized from them were 10 plastic sachets containing shabu worth at least P4, 627, the P1,000 marked money, drug paraphernalia and a loaded Glock 17 gun.
Orquero, who was assigned as intel operative of the Anao police in 2018 and SDEU team member of Concepcion police in 2019, allegedly had a relationship with Josie “Jane” Ignacio, of Concepcion Tarlac, a drug pusher arrested on Nov. 18, 2018.
“His actions were a complete betrayal of public trust and confidence and have no place in the PNP. We will not condone this as we continue to remain vigilant and will continue to pursue scalawags and rogue cops. I ordered RIAS3 to conduct an immediate pre-charge investigation and summary hearing proceeding, ” De Leon said.
Orquero and his companions are now facing charges for violation of RA 9165.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar directed De Leon to conduct a deeper probe to determine if there are other police officers who are possible cohorts of Orquero as well as conduct random drug testing on all members of the Tarlac police.
Meanwhile, De Leon ordered the Intelligence Division and all provincial/city directors to conduct background checks on all personnel assigned to the Drug Enforcement units.
