MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Director General Aaron Aquino on Wednesday slammed the murder of a PDEA agent in Camarines Sur, as he said the killing was meant to demoralize other drug busters. Agent Enrico Barba, assistant provincial officer of the agency’s Camarines Norte Provincial Office, was found dead in a concrete canal in Camarines Sur on Monday, with his hands and mouth wrapped with packaging tape. ADVERTISEMENTBefore his death, Barba was reported missing after meeting a supposed informant about the illegal drug activities in the town of Daet. We believe that this is a planned act with an intent to demoralize our agents, as the illegal drug syndicates try to shake our core,” Aquino said in a statement. “But we strongly defy the threat and we strongly condemn this violence against our agents,” he said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 20, 2019 03:11 UTC