PDEA defends photo of chief, drug suspects

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) sees nothing wrong with the presence of its chief, Aaron Aquino, in a party with law enforcement officers implicated in the alleged smuggling of a ton of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu into the country.

In an ambush interview with reporters, PDEA spokesman  Derrick Carreon said Aquino attended the birthday party of the agency’s former deputy director general for administration, Ismael Fajardo, on Sept. 3 – when the allegations of the latter’s alleged involvement in shabu smuggling were not yet made public.

Sen. Richard Gordon last week bared a photo of Aquino and Fajardo at the birthday party. Also present in the photo is dismissed police official Eduardo Acierto, who was also implicated in shabu smuggling.

Carreon said their chief immediately relieved Fajardo when his name was implicated in the shabu shipment by former customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban.

The fact that Aquino relieved Fajardo is a strong statement of his stand on illegal drugs, Carreon said.