PDEA rewards informant P55,179 for tip leading to Pangasinan drug bust

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 1 has awarded P55,179.84 to a civilian informant whose tip led to the arrest of four suspected drug personalities and the seizure of more than half a kilogram of suspected shabu in Rosales, Pangasinan, in April.

PDEA Region 1 Director Julius M. Paderes and Assistant Regional Director Janmark Malibiran presented the cash incentive to the informant, identified only by the codename “JP,” during a ceremony at the agency’s regional office in Camp Diego Silang, Barangay Carlatan, San Fernando City, La Union.

The reward was approved through Operation Private Eye Rewards Committee Resolution No. 3, Series of 2026, dated 29 September, following the completion of the program’s administrative and verification requirements.

PDEA said the informant’s tip to its Ilocos Sur Provincial Office led to a joint anti-narcotics operation in Barangay Carmen East, Rosales, on 13 April.

The operation resulted in the arrest of four suspected high-value drug personalities and the confiscation of 511.37 grams of suspected shabu.

Paderes said public cooperation remained essential in identifying and dismantling illegal drug operations, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies could not win the fight against illegal drugs without community participation.

He added that Operation Private Eye provides a mechanism for recognizing citizens whose information leads to successful anti-drug operations while protecting their identities through strict confidentiality measures.

The program encourages private citizens to report suspected illegal drug activities in their communities. It operates under Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 5, Series of 2003, as amended, and provides monetary incentives for information that leads to arrests and drug seizures.

According to PDEA, informants are assigned codenames to protect their identities, while the agency’s Private Eye Rewards Committee evaluates and approves the cash incentives. The committee includes PDEA officials and representatives from the academic, business and religious sectors.

PDEA Region 1 urged the public to report suspected illegal drug activities through its official communication channels, saying community cooperation remains an important component of efforts to curb the illegal drug trade.