11 drug informants get P9.68 million reward

MANILA, Philippines — Eleven civilian informants received cash rewards amounting to P9.68 million from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency yesterday under PDEA’s Operation Private Eye reward system.

PDEA director general Wilkins Villanueva lauded the informants identified only by their codenames of Dream, Indah, Aquaman, Bruno, Datu, Jojo, Mashu, Marvin, Mambo, Ali and Tin.

Villanueva said the information the 11 shared resulted in the confiscation of large amounts of illegal drugs and arrest of high-value suspects.

“Human intelligence remains a critical factor in determining success in any intelligence-based operation,” he said during the awarding ceremony held at the PDEA headquarters.

Dream got the highest incentive of P8 million for the information she shared, which led to the seizure of 1,001,273.27 grams of shabu in four anti-drug operations in Candelaria, Zambales; Hermosa, Bataan, and the cities of Bacoor and Dasmariñas in Cavite from September to October 2021.

Mashu received P500,000 for a tip that led to the confiscation of 109,495.35 grams of marijuana in Lubuagan, Kalinga on Feb. 25.

Marwin received P421,200.19 for the recovery of 4,976.90 grams of shabu in Escalante, Negros Occidental on March 4.

Operation Private Eye is a citizen-based information collection program, which aims to encourage civilians to report drug suspects.

Villanueva said PDEA plans to raise funds for the program from P10 million  to P15 million per quarter.

“Dahil sa napakaraming informants at nahuli out of the operations, medyo kulang yung P10 million,” he said.