PNP joins search for missing PDEA agent
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar on Friday ordered his men to help the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) locate one of its agents who was believed to be abducted as a result of his undercover anti-narcotics work last June 25.
The PNP chief said he has instructed the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to coordinate with the PDEA headed by Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva their effort to help find Investigation Agent 1 Merton Fesway.
“Inatasan ko na ang aming CIDG director, Police Maj. Gen. Bert Ferro, na makipag-ugnayan sa PDEA upang alamin kung paano makakatulong ang PNP sa paghahanap kay Investigation Agent I Merto T. Fesway,” Eleazar said.
“Magkasangga ang PNP at PDEA laban sa mga sindikato ng droga at anumang pag-atake laban sa kahit isang miyembro ng PDEA ay itinuturing na rin naming pag-atake sa PNP,” he added.
Villanueva said that Fesway was supposed to meet a confidential informant when he disappeared 49 days ago.
Eleazar urged the public to help in the search by providing information that could lead to determining the whereabouts of the anti-narcotics agent.
“Makakaasa ang ating mga kapatid sa PDEA na aming pakikipagtulungan upang agad na malutas ang kasong ito. Nananawagan din ang PNP sa publiko na kung may hawak silang impormasyon sa pagkawala ni Fesway ay agad ipagbigay-alam sa mga awtoridad. Hindi tayo titigil hangga’t hindi natin siya nahahanap,” he said.
The PDEA has created a task force and called on the public to help them find Fesway who mysteriously disappeared in the evening of June 25.
The Task Force Fesway is composed of 24 PDEA intelligence and investigation officers with the mission to find their missing colleague.
Agent Fesway is a 38-year-old native of Samoki, Bontoc, Mountain Province assigned at the PDEA Regional Office III’s office in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Villanueva said that based on an initial investigation, Fesway was supposed to meet a confidential informant prior to his sudden disappearance.
“Hindi kami titigil sa paghahanap hanggang matagpuan namin si Fesway. Umaasa kami na siya ay ligtas at nasa mabuting kalagayan,” the PDEA chief said.
