The director general of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) yesterday decried the personal attacks being hurled against him in light of the controversy surrounding the agency.
Undersecretary Jose  Gutierrez Jr. said he is convinced that big-time drug lords are financing the smear campaign that is being done to destroy the agency’s integrity, relying on personal attacks against him and his wife.
“I am wary of the fact that in the course of leading the PDEA in the war on illegal drugs, I have earned the ire of bigwigs in the illegal drug trade. They are now moving heaven and earth to discredit me and have me removed as PDEA chief,” Gutierrez said.
“I am also aware of the fact that whoever has vested interest in taking over my post as director general is backed by our adversaries whose illegal activities have already been adversely affected by our intensified operations, thus they are undertaking desperate moves to attack my integrity,” the PDEA chief added.
On the issues leveled against him and the agency, Gutierrez said  the independent probe by the National Bureau of Investigation will be conducted in a few days and will shed light on the controversy.
He reiterated that he serves at the pleasure of the President and that he will continue to fulfill his sworn duties and responsibilities at the helm of the national anti-drug campaign.
“In case the President no longer has his confidence in me, I am going out of the agency without any comments at all. I am a presidential appointee. I serve at the pleasure of the President,” Gutierrez said.
However, he assured the public that the agency remains steadfast and will not be distracted from its mandate despite the controversy.
Gutierrez ordered all PDEA operating units in the national headquarters and regional offices to continue hitting hard on clandestine laboratories, drug dens, tiangges (one-stop-shop illegal drug facilities) and to relentlessly pursue high value and high impact intelligence based targets.
The controversy stemmed from the recent relief of Gutierrez deputy, Carlos Gadapan, who claimed that it was the PDEA chief who maneuvered everything for personal motive.
Gutierrez maintained that he had nothing to do with Gadapan relief order.
But Gadapan in a press interview insisted that his removal from the agency as deputy director was with no justifiable reason.
“I wanted to clear my name and my family,” Gadapan, a retired police superintendent, added.
Gadapan further claimed  his ouster was triggered when he gave information to his superior, Gutierrez, that his wife was hook on gambling.
Gadapan recalled he told Gutierrez that his wife had been losing millions of pesos in a casino in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
On Sept. 14, Gadapan reportedly received a letter from Malacañang that he was ousted from his post since the President had lost confidence in him.
On the other hand, Gutierrez welcomed the NBI probe into the issue and that includes Gadapan’s allegations.
“If President Aquino found out that I have lapses in my duty then I will resign from my post,” Gutierrez said, adding his wife does not gamble and doesn’t even know how to play mah-jong or card games.