MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Tuesday awarded nine people with cash rewards, amounting to P2.6 million for their tips that led to the arrest of local and foreign drug personalities and the confiscation of illegal drugs.
PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr. personally handed the rewards to the nine informants who provided information via "Operation: Private Eye" (OPE) during the agency's 11th anniversary at the PDEA main office in Quezon City.
The rewards program is designed to encourage private citizens to help the government in its fight against illegal drugs.
The Private Eye Rewards Committee, composed of members from the academe, non-government organizations, law enforcement, religious and business sectors, approved the resolution granting monetary rewards to the informants after careful and thorough deliberation.
The PDEA identified the nine informants only through their codenames--Bogart, Dagul, Miami, Ambong, Storm, Mustang, Black Mail, Master and Unico.
"OPE aims to counter fear and apathy as hindrances to active participation of the citizenry in reporting illegal drug activities by ensuring anonymity of the informant and the confidentiality of the information. We required the informants to wear ski masks during the awarding ceremony to hide their real identity," Cacdac said.
Among the informants, Miami received the biggest reward of P1.5 million for information leading to the seizure of 34.5 kilograms of shabu and the arrest of three Chinese drug fiends during a buy-bust operation in Binondo, Manila last June 18.
Cacdac said authorities, through OPE information, were able to arrest a total of 13 drug personalities, including three Chinese nationals, and seize 47.7 kilograms of shabu, 124 kilograms of marijuana bricks and seeds, 17,776 marijuana plants and 33,800 marijuana seedlings, and other regulated substances.