Republic of the Office of the President PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY NIA Northside Road, National Government Center Pinyahan, City

PRESS RELEASE # 263/14 DATE : June 10, 2014 AUTHORITY : UNDERSECRETARY ARTURO G. CACDAC, JR., CEO VI Director General For more information, comments and suggestions please call: Director DERRICK ARNOLD C. CARREON, Director, Public Information Office Tel. No. 929-3244, 927-9702 Loc.131; Cell phone: 09159111585 ______

PDEA GIVES RECOGNITION TO SIX PNP OFFICERS

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recognized six Philippine National Police (PNP) officers for their contribution to the national anti-drug campaign.

During the regular PDEA flag-raising ceremony held on June 9, 2014 at the PDEA National Headquarters in , the Director General of PDEA, Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr., recognized Police Director Benjamin B. Magalong, Director of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG); Police Chief Superintendent (PCSupt.) Rolando E. Asuncion, District Director of the Police District (MPD); PCSupt. Richard A. Albano, District Director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD); Police Superintendent (PSupt.) Ericson Dilag, Chief of Police, San Pablo City Police Station, San Pablo City, ; Police Senior Superintendent (PSSupt.) Joselito Teodoro Esquivel Jr., Provincial Director of the Police Office; PCSupt. Reginald Villasanta, of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC); and PDEA Regional Office – National Capital Region Director Atty. Jacquelyn L. De Guzman, for their notable anti-illegal drug operations.

The awarding ceremony was also witnessed by the guest speaker Police Director Carmelo E. Valmoria of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Magalong, together with his team, was cited for the successful conduct of a buy-bust operation on May 21, 2014 which resulted in the arrest of Kennu Chua Sy and seizure of eight kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu in Greenhills, San Juan City. Asuncion and his team successfully seized five kilograms of shabu during a buy-bust operation on May 20, 2014 at T. M. Kalaw Street., , Manila and arrested Wilson Salazar Sia, Anthony Chiu y Ang and John Sy y Chua. Confiscated from the Chinese nationals were 10 kilograms of shabu and marijuana sticks. Albano and his team, conducted a buy-bust operation along Lanzones Street, corner Anonas Street, Project 2, Quezon City which led to the arrest of two notorious pushers identified as Henry Atilano y Arbatin, and Larex Pepino y Dando and the confiscation of 975.720 grams of shabu.

Dilag, was given recognition for the successful implementation of a search warrant on March 19, 2014 at Lot 4, Block 5, NHA, Brgy. Sto. Angel, San Pablo City, Laguna leading to the arrest of a Nigerian national identified as Alphonce Alla y Koussi, who yielded 1.5 kilograms of shabu. Esquivel and his team conducted a buy- bust operation at 69 De Castro Subdivision, Ligas 1, Bacoor City, Cavite, which led to the arrest of a Chinese national identified as Orland Roxas Lim and his four cohorts and seizure of 974.37 grams of shabu and various drug paraphernalia.

Villasanta of PAOCC and Atty. De Guzman of PDEA RO-NCR conducted a joint buy-bust operation along Avenue corner Bambang Street, Manila and arrested Jeong Hee Kim, a Korean national, and confiscated 886 grams of ephedrine.

All arrested suspects are now facing various cases for violations of Article II, of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

“I am grateful for your unrelenting efforts to help us champion our noble cause and all of you deserve due recognition for a job well done. I hope to maintain this continued harmonious relationship, so that we may secure a safe and drug-free future for our children and the generations to come,” Cacdac said.

He enjoined other law enforcement counterparts to continue creating a healthy culture and climate of cooperation with PDEA. “PDEA alone cannot accomplish the huge task of effectively curbing the drug menace, but together we become strong allies,” he added.

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