A policeman facing drug charges but recently reinstated in the Philippine National Police (PNP) was arrested after he was caught using and selling shabu in a drug bust in Muntinlupa City on Monday night.
PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde castigated Patrolman Leo Valdez over what he described as shameful behavior that puts the entire police organization on bad light amid the ongoing war on drugs.
“Ang kapal ng mukha mo! Paano ka naging pulis adik ka? Wala ka bang mga anak? Nakakahiya ka!,” Albayalde told the policeman in a press briefing.
The operation stemmed from intelligence reports received by the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) and the police’s Intelligence Group (IG) about the involvement of Valdez in illegal drugs activities.
During the background check, it was found out that Valdez went on AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave) in 2014 due to allegations of his involvement in illegal drugs.
In 2017, he was reinstated in the service. He is currently assigned at the police’s Regional Mobile Forces Battalion of Metro Manila.
During the casing and surveillance, police were able to get a video footage through an asset showing Valdez using shabu with his friends.
At around 10 p.m. on Monday, IMEG and IG operatives was able to negotiate with Valdez for the purchase of shabu in Barangay Putatan in Muntinlupa City and resulted in his arrest.
Seized from him were the P1,000 marked money and four plastic sachets believed to be containing shabu.
“Sino pa ang kasamahan mo jan (sa video)? Sigurado may mga ka-batch ka na kasama mo din, sabihin mo na kung sino kung ako sayo,” said Albayalde.
The official said the arrest of Valdez is a proof that they continue to be relentless in the campaign against scalawag policemen.
“I reiterate my directive to all PNP personnel to refrain from committing illegal activities. To those who will continue to disregard my directives, we will ensure that we will throw the full force of the law on you,” said Albayalde. (Aaron Recuenco)
