PDEA probes Singson's link with recovery of cocaine in Samar

MANILA, July 30 (PNA) - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday said it is investigating the possible link of Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson in the recovered cocaine bricks in Samar.

Singson, son of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson, was arrested on July 11 at the Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport for possession of 26.1 grams of cocaine and two tablets of valium.

PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said the agency had already moved and started investigating the alleged involvement of Singson in the botched drug deal.

Carreon also said PDEA lauded its police counterparts for the successful implementation of Case Operation Plan (COplan) Samar Cocaine Bricks and Implementation Plan (Implan) Coke by the inter-agency Task Force Samar Cocaine.

The sustained efforts brought the total figure to 454.1 kilograms of recovered cocaine bricks.

PDEA Director General Dionisio R. Santiago expressed his appreciation for the ongoing aggressive efforts of counterparts from the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) to recover the remaining 1.5 tons on cocaine that drifted to the coastlines of Samar province after being dumped by a Chinese cargo vessel in open sea last December 2009.

Also involved in the operation were Police Regional Office 8 and the Philippine Coast Guard in cooperation with PDEA Regional Office 8.

"This is precisely the kind of cooperation that we want from our police counterparts because their (130,000) strength enables them to have presence up to the municipalities," Santiago said.

"We are also thankful that AIDSOTF is cognizant of the potential damage of the still unrecovered 1.5 tons, to the point that they are re-echoing our pronouncement and our appeal to those who are still in possession of these contrabands," Santiago said. (PNA)