- PDEA offers cash incentive for anonymous anti-drug tips
THE PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) XI is calling on the public to actively participate in the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign through “Operation: Private Eye,” a reward program that offers cash incentives for actionable information.
PDEA XI regional director Atty Benjamin Gaspin emphasized on Wednesday, Feb 11, that the program is designed to encourage ordinary citizens to report suspected drug personalities and activities within their communities while ensuring their total anonymity and safety.
The program operates under Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 6, Series of 2023, and is anchored on Section 22 of Republic Act 9165.
Informants can qualify for rewards by providing timely information that directly leads to the arrest of drug personalities or “high-value targets,” the seizure of illegal drugs (shabu, marijuana, etc.) or precursor chemicals, and the dismantling of clandestine drug laboratories.
The reward amount is calculated based on the quantity and purity of the confiscated drugs.
Recent payouts nationwide have reached as high as ₱2 million for single informants who facilitated major hauls, with total regional and national distributions occasionally exceeding ₱11 million to ₱16 million per quarter.
“We guarantee that your identity will be hidden and protected,” the PDEA XI leadership stated, noting that informants are assigned codenames and wear masks during ceremonial handovers to maintain secrecy.
Additionally, informants may be eligible for protection under the Witness Protection Program, if necessary.
To prevent abuse of the system, all reward claims undergo a rigorous vetting process by the Private Eye Rewards Committee.
This body includes representatives from the academe, religious sectors, and non-government organizations (NGOs) to ensure transparency and integrity in the distribution of funds.
Citizens are encouraged to report via the “Issumbong Mo sa PDEA” project by submitting intelligence reports directly to regional or national headquarters for evaluation.
