Bontoc folks search for PDEA agent abducted by ‘state agents’

Probe pushed on Pampanga kidnap; 3 others missing 

By Christy Che-es and Alpine L. Killa

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Folks of this capital town are now in Pampanga searching for an agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and three others missing for almost a month. 

The Bontoc Sangguniang Bayan passed a resolution last week approved by Bontoc mayor Franklin Odsey appealing to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Philippine National Police (PNP), PDEA, and appropriate agencies to investigate and shed light on incidents that led to disappearance of the four men.
    On the evening of June 25, PDEA Investigation Officer I Merton Fesway, a native of Bontoc, was allegedly abducted by “state agents” outside the PDEA Office in Angeles City, Pampanga.

He was reportedly due to meet three persons when abducted.

Fesway’s whereabouts remain unknown which worries not only his family members but also the local government and townspeople.

This prompted Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr. to dispatch a search party in Pampanga even as he appealed to concerned government agencies to speed up investigation and search for Fesway including other missing persons related to the case.    

 Odsey urged the public help locate Fesway.

"The Og-ogfo (bayanihan) had been a trademark of our culture as Ifontok. During this trying time, I also ask everyone to continue praying so that in the earliest possible time, we could locate our kailyan,” the mayor added. 

The sudden disappearance of the PDEA agent has been circulating on social media and other media platforms with his family members appealing to the public to help in locating his whereabouts. 

 Family members, relatives, and members of the Bontoc community traveled to Pampanga on July 5 in search of the missing PDEA agent.