8 PDEA informants get P11.6 million reward

MANILA, Philippines — Eight civilian informants received P11.63 million in cash incentives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency yesterday.

The PDEA said the informants were rewarded for their role in the arrest of drug suspects and seizure of large amounts of shabu.

The informants got the incentives under PDEA’s Operation Private Eye, a reward system to encourage people to report illegal drug activities in their communities.

PDEA director general Isagani Nerez handed over the cash to the informants, who wore face masks during the ceremony to protect their identities.

“These private citizens took it upon themselves to report drug-related activities, not minding their own safety,” Nerez said in a statement.

“To return the favor, PDEA assured them that all information they provided were handled with utmost confidentiality,” he added.

Four of the informants received P2 million each for reports they supplied to the PDEA, which led to the seizure of 89.56 kilos of shabu worth P609.04 million in Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa City and Barangay Pantok in Binangonan, Rizal in March.

Four other drug informants received P3.63 million.

Apart from PDEA officers, other members of the reward committee are representatives from the business academe and religious sectors.

“If more members of the community are vigilant and proactive in combating the illegal drug trade, a vast network of eyes and ears remains at PDEA’s disposal,” Nerez said.

He said the participation of private citizens is a huge boost in the PDEA’s war on drugs.