PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has awarded a total of P1.18 million in cash incentives to seven confidential informants whose intelligence led to massive drug seizures and high-impact operations.
The awarding ceremony, held on Friday night, April 10, 2026, was part of the agency’s “Operation: Private Eye” (OPE), a reward-based program designed to encourage citizen participation in the national anti-drug campaign.
The intelligence provided by these seven citizens directly resulted in nine successful operations and the confiscation of over 13 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu).
- Key Operation: One of the most significant tips came from an informant codenamed “Junix,” whose report led to a buy-bust in Barangay Canelar, Zamboanga City, on August 19, 2025. That operation yielded nearly four kilos of shabu with an estimated street value of P27.18 million.
- Safety First: To ensure their protection, all recipients were identified only by code names and wore masks during the secure handover of their cash rewards.
Assistant Secretary Renato Gumban, PDEA Deputy Director General for Operations, explained that the distribution of rewards is strictly regulated.
- Oversight Committee: A panel composed of PDEA officials and representatives from the academe, religious groups, and the labor sector oversees the selection of awardees.
- Verification: Recipients must undergo fingerprint verification to confirm they are the legitimate source of the intelligence.
- Incentive Tiers: Gumban noted that rewards for PDEA-led operations can reach up to P2 million, depending on the volume of illegal substances seized.
PDEA allocates significant resources to maintain the momentum of the OPE program:
- Informant Fund: P12 million is allocated quarterly for civilian informants.
- Enforcer Fund: A separate P12 million is allocated quarterly for law enforcement officers who successfully execute these operations.
Assistant Secretary Gumban commended the informants for their courage, stating that their actions contribute directly to saving lives and protecting the community. He reiterated the agency’s call for the public to continue reporting illegal drug activities through the official OPE hotlines (0917-867-7332 / 0995-354-7020) or the “Isumbong Mo sa PDEA” Facebook page.