PDEA probers claims Davao PIO ‘untouched’ in drug raid
OFFICIALS of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Southern Mindanao on Wednesday said they will investigate allegations that some persons including a sacked Davao City public information officer were allowed to go scot-free during an anti-narcotics raid at a Davao de Oro beach resort.
The allegations were made by many of the 17 suspects who were arrested during the raid and are now facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The raid became controversial after Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte fired her former PIO Jefry Tupas after learning he was present in the area during the PDEA raid.
PDEA Region 11 director Aileen Lovitos was quoted as saying they will investigate the allegations hurled by the suspects who are now being held at the local PDEA lock-up facility.
“It was a planned operation and we have already submitted this to the fiscal’s office and it’s up for them to investigate the case. And of course, we will conduct our own investigation on this case and of course whatever it is they, suspects are saying, the speculations they are making, we will conduct our own investigation,” Lovitos said in a television interview.
Some of the arrested suspects in the raid in Mabini, Davao de Oro last Saturday claimed that Tupas and other party-goers were allowed to leave the raided place. Reports said there were about 50 persons including Tupas when the PDEA operatives conducted the raid but only 17 suspects were arrested.
Recovered during the operation were an estimated P1.5 million worth of drugs. Tupas admitted he was at the beach party as a ‘guest’ along with his boyfriend and another fried but left the area after dinner.
Members of the PDEA Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte Provincial Offices, joined by operatives from the local National Bureau of Investigation, the Mabini Municipal Police Station and the Davao de Oro Police Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit were involved in the ‘high-impact’ operation at the Sea Eagle Beach Resort located at Purok Manaklay in Barangay Pindasan, Mabini municipality around 9:15 p.m. last November 6.
The anti-narcotics operation resulted in the arrest of the main target of the raid identified as Revsan Ethelbert Elizalde who has been identified as a ‘high-value individual’ as well as 16 other so-called ‘high-value targets’ namely Eana Faye Marie Olea, Bryk Bryan Tiubot, Kurk Cryan Tiubot, Carlo Guerero, Ariel Bueno, Jan Lord Masong, Ronald Chua, Christopher Prudente, Edel Caballero, Tom Jhun Doblas, Jesus Ragas, Jason Viduya, Giovanni Tabanao, Mark Christopher Isip, Fritz Dinopol and Jomark Aping.
The PDEA said the suspects were all believed to have used drugs during the beach party. Recovered during the operation were some 10 grams of shabu worth P68,000, 722 tablets/capsules of suspected dangerous drugs valued at P1.228 million, 77 pieces of LSD worth P130,900, nine plastic bottles containing suspected liquid Ecstasy worth P15,000 and two vials of suspected liquid Ecstasy worth P17,000.
