Bogus PDEA agent faces raps for case intervention

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- A 45-year-old man, who introduced himself as a ranking Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and tried to intervene in his nephew's drug case, is now facing criminal charges.

A PDEA report said Senando Mapilis Jr., of AE-223 Western Buyagan, Poblacion of this capital town is now facing usurpation of authority charges before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Benguet.

Records showed that last May 27,  La Trinidad police nabbed Mapilis after he was caught brandishing a fake PDEA identification card and a stolen PDEA badge inside the police station, in an attempt to intervene in the drug case of his nephew, Darwin Mangalonzo, 21.

Mangalonzo was apprehended by  local police after being caught with 6.05 grams of dried marijuana leaves along Km. 4, Balili, La Trinidad last May 26.

"Upon validation of Mapilis' identity from the PDEA RO-CAR office, the police immediately arrested him. His name does not exist in our records of personnel, the PDEA ID he presented is counterfeit, while the badge, though authentic, was snatched from a PDEA agent sometime in 2009," the report said.