Drive vs drugs hangs on fate of San Juan informer

The government’s campaign against Chinese drug syndicates dubbed "merchants of death" hangs on the fate of the informer in the San Juan shabu laboratory raid, who is waging a lonely battle to claim his P5.5 million reward.

Should the government continue to deprive legitimate informants of their reward money, its people participation project, "Private Eye" shall become nothing more than useless propaganda, said the informant who tipped off police about the San Juan shabu lab.

The informant, known only by his codename Jedi, wrote a scathing two-page letter to Interior Secretary Joey Lina, detailing the hardship he and his family are encountering due to the failure of the National Drug Enforcement and Prevention agency (NDEP) to release his reward.

"My family already has suffered enough," said Jedi admitting that he had to move from one place to another to prevent the Chinese triad from "silencing" him. "I have already given more than my fair share of sacrifice for the good of the country."

The informant expressed fears that he would suffer the same fate as David Sy Lato, who was believed "silenced" by the Chinese triad which operated the San Juan shabu lab. Lato was working to trace the "money trail" of the drug syndicate when he was shot dead in Binondo, Manila last January. The Narcotics Group (NarcGroup) claimed that the Chinese triad behind the San Juan shabu lab has set aside P6 million to "silence" informants and agents who played key roles in the busting of their multi-million racket.

Under Lina’s "Private Eye" program, an informant is entitled to a P50,000 reward for every kilo of shabu seized in favor of the government.

Based on the recovered shabu and raw materials like ephedrine, the informant in the San Juan shabu lab is entitled to a P5.5 million reward.

However, Director Miguel Coronel, of the NDEP, insisted that the reward should only be P1.8 million. Coronel based his computations only on the confiscated shabu.

"I was expecting an amount bigger than the P5.5 million," said Jedi as he asked for Lina’s intervention so Coronel could change his mind. The Star tried to reach Coronel but was told he was out of the country.

When he made the momentous decision to play an active role in the government’s drive on illegal drugs, the informant admitted that he knew he would suffer hardship and other life-threatening harrassment.

"(I have) to endure separation from my family for long periods of time and to break contact with my friends and relatives. But I never thought that the NDEP Center would compound my problem by depriving me of my fair and just reward," Jedi said.

Before the San Juan operations, Jedi said that he fully complied with the NDEP’s incentive program by submitting an Information Report Form (IRF). Failure to submit the required IRF was the reason why NDEP refused to issue rewards to other informants against drug syndicates.

Jedi said other informants are now adopting a "wait-and-see_ attitude" on his reward case before resuming working for the government in its war against the "merchants of death." But for his part, however, Jedi said he will continue closely working for the NarcGroup in its relentless drive against illegal drugs.

"Let me assure you, Sir, that even as I continue to suffer innumerable hardships, I will remain as among your multitude of supporters who shall stand by your side in this crusade," said Jedi in his letter to Lina.