PDEA Officer Got Fired After Getting Involve In Drug Smuggling

MANILA, Philippines – On the hearing about the issue on drug smuggling yesterday September 27, 2018, Thursday, PDEA chief Aaron Aquino confirms that he already fired the PDEA Deputy Director General for Administration Ismael Fajardo Jr.

The basis of PDEA Chief to fire Ismael Fajardo is the conspiracy of Fajardo between Customs Intelligence Officer Jimmy Guban and a former police named Eduardo Acierto from involving to a multi-million peso drugs that have been seized at MICP and in a warehouse in Cavite.

On the report, Aaron Aquino stated – “upon butt-tracking of PDEA, it was found out that agent Guban and Ismael Fajardo have knowledge on the shipment.” 

The PDEA instruct the NBI to investigate Fajardo and to analyze the case to be filed. Legislators give Guban a Contempt of Court because of the inconsistency of his statement. Guban said on his first statement that he has no knowledge on who ordered to operate the magnetic lifters which allegedly contains drugs. 

Rep. Arnolfo Teves said on the report that there’s someone who is untruthful about the issue and it must be put in jail for contempt.

Chairman of Dangerous Drugs Committee Rep. Robert Ace Barbers also requested – “we will ask you to stay in the room prepared by the House of Representatives for resource persons who are cited in contempt.”

The BOC stated that 70 accreditations of investigated consignees were already revoked. However, Aquino was still dismayed and said that there is an extensive list of Chinese nationals who plan to establish shabu kitchens and laboratories in the country.

Aquino comments a question “is there is an agency that inspects all those boats? Because nobody would detect that there are drugs inside. Why? They are not trained. Secondly, inadequate, no floating assets, no navy, lack of floating assets of coastguards, no presence of maritime police. If there is some importation, it should be alerted. They can call anytime our chemist to check.”

Meanwhile, Chief of Bureau of Customs Isidro Lapeña said that it is possible in the BOC to smuggle drugs but he also insists that there are other entry points in the country. On the contrary, Lapeña stated that pinpointing it to the BOC alone is not fair.

Aquino suggested that the Bureau of Immigration should make a list most especially for those foreigners with a history of drug cases. BOC suggests that they also need new equipment to solve the issue.