ILOILO City – The director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Western Visayas and eight other personnel were relieved from their posts for failing to file criminal charges against three arrested brothers-in-law of slain drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr.
PDEA Region 6 spokesperson David Abraham Garcia confirmed yesterday that Director Emerson Margate and his eight personnel were sacked effective Dec. 16. The order, however, reached the regional office only on Dec. 17.
“Director Margate and the eight others were transferred to the PDEA national office while they are undergoing investigation,” said Garcia.
The probe would determine the administrative charges to be filed against them, said Garcia.
The officer-in-charge of PDEA-6 is Alex Tablate, former deputy director of PDEA Region 8 (Eastern Visayas).
Margate was assigned to PDEA-6 only five months ago from Region 7 (Central Visayas). He swapped posts with then PDEA-7 director Wardley Getalla.
Sources told Panay News two personnel from the PDEA national office were here to investigate reports that Odicta’s arrested brothers-in-law, the Regalado brothers Leo, Cyril and Arnulfo, and Arnulfo’s wife Nilda, were not filed charges because the PDEA-6 photocopier malfunctioned.
While Margate hads been replaced by Tablate, Garcia said they were still waiting for their central office to designate agents to replace the eight others who were relieved.
The Regalados – brothers of Odicta’s wife Meriam – were arrested on Dec. 13 in Barangay Sambag, Jaro district in a morning drug raid. Nine sachets of shabu worth P400,000 were seized including a .45 pistol and a 12-gauage shot gun.
The suspects, however, were released on Dec. 14 after their reglementary detention period ended without PDEA-6 managing to file charges against them.
The complaint for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act was filed only on Dec. 17.
Odicta spouses Melvin and Meriam were shot to death by unidentified armed men at the jetty port in Barangay Caticlan, Malay, Aklan on Aug. 29, 2016./PN
