PNP chemist in hot water

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane has ordered the filing of criminal and administrative charges against a forensic chemist who pilfered some 1.533 kilos of seized shabu from the crime laboratory then concealed the evidence from the proper court.

According to Chief Superintendent Lucas Managuelod, chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), suspect Inspector Delfin Torregoza is facing dismissal for drug possession and infidelity in the custody of evidence.

Managuelod said Torregoza, assigned with the PNP Crime Laboratory based at Camp Crame, was supposed to present the shabu as evidence in the drug case against Josefino Fernandez before the Manila Regional Trial Court last June 6. He never reported to the hearing.

Police learned about the missing evidence during a comprehensive drug inventory conducted at the PNP crime lab.

PNP officials said the court had informed the PNP that hearing of the case was re-scheduled for Oct. 9 because Torregoza failed to appear in the proceedings.

Suspicious police officials initiated an investigation and found out that Torregoza has not been reporting to work since June 6.

"He never presented the evidence in court and instead went into hiding," Ebdane said in a press conference. "We are conducting a follow-up investigation to determine if there were other people were involved.

Ebdane said Torregoza surrendered to his superior at around 5 a.m. yesterday, bringing with him two self-sealing transparent plastic bags that contained some 1.359 kilograms of shabu.

"It was 174 grams less that the original quantity," the PNP chief said.

Torregoza also tested positive for shabu use, police said.