MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has named retired Police Maj. Gen. Isagani Nerez as head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Presidential Communications Office said on Tuesday.
In a Viber message to reporters, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed the appointment of Nerez, whom he swore in at Malacañang Palace on Tuesday.
“As of 14 October 2024, the global Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) stockpile has been entirely depleted, with no doses currently available for deployment,” the WHO said in its emergency situation report released on Oct. 18.
He replaced retired Police Gen. Moro Virgilio Lazo, who had led PDEA since October 2022.
slot park Article continues after this advertisementREAD: Illegal drugs paid as reward to PDEA informants? House panel wants urgent probe
FEATURED STORIES NEWSINFO PhilHealth chief replaced in wake of ouster calls NEWSINFO SC justice: PhilHealth prioritized investments, not benefits NEWSINFO Car owners may eventually have to pay fees to use Edsa, says RemullaMalacañang did not provide a reason for the change in leadership. But Lazo had his share of controversies during his tenure, mainly for confirming during a Senate inquiry the existence of an alleged “reward system” among antidrug agents.
He claimed that some informants had told him they would prefer to get up to 30 percent of the narcotics seized based on their tips as their reward instead of cash incentives.
Article continues after this advertisementA native of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Nerez is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Maharlika Class of 1984.
Article continues after this advertisementBefore his appointment to PDEA, he was undersecretary for police affairs at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs.
A lawyer, he held key positions in various Philippine National Police units, including the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response, and served with the PNP Special Action Force and PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group.
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