By: Jennifer P. Rendon
AMID CLAIMS of rampant “recycling” of illegal drugs confiscated by law enforcers in anti-narcotics operations, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) said it will audit seizures by different police units in Western Visayas.
Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, said this in response to the possible prevalence of recycling of seized drugs, as stated by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino.
Patterned after the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Pamuspusan said he already issued an instruction with the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 6 (RCLO-6), together with PRO-6 personnel, to go around the region and audit all evidences taken during anti-drugs operations.
The audit is scheduled to start end of September 2019.
Meanwhile, Police Colonel Enrique Ancheta, RCLO-6 chief, said he has not received any information about the possibility of recycling of seized illegal drugs in the region.
“We observe the chain of custody. After the drugs are submitted to us, all items are itemized,” he said.
The evidences are then kept in the evidence room with closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras all over.
“We present it to the court when we are told to do so,” he said.
Ancheta said they do weekly inventory of seized drugs in their custody.
Even if the case is already resolved, confiscated illegal drugs are still kept until an order is issued for the proper destruction of the seized items.
A week ago, Aquino told the Senate finance committee that PDEA is keeping an eye on a “drug queen” who bought her drugs supply from law enforcers.
Aquino said he got his information from his assets and sources.
