The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was created for the efficient and effective law enforcement of all the provisions on dangerous drugs or its precursors and essential chemicals. It is the implementing arm of the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB), the policy-making and strategy-formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on drug prevention and control.
The Director-General, who was currently heading PDEA that year, was based in Cebu. Dino, his best friend's son whom he took into his home after he graduated in high school, had now passed his training as a police officer. Under his influence, he had him assigned as a challenge, in a special task force, the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force (PNP-AIDSOTF).
The district of Kamelyo was already long reported as a drug den. There were already several attempts to trace down the powerful men behind these illegal trading, but all ended out as futile due to the strong protection from higher sources.
Dino and his team got appointed to this great challenge of ending and clearing out the long-time illegal business in this place.
Inwardly, he was happy with the appointment. He had someone to help him discreetly in tracing down these trash of the society, which had already destroyed many homes and lives of those willing victims like the users, pushers, and the mules.
Allie became his best friend during his last year in high school since a teacher, who happened to be Allie's coach in writing, adopted him. She was not just Dino's teacher but was also his aunt. He came to live with her when his mother died in a vehicular accident when he was young.
He met Allie when she was still a freshman. Since she spent most of her weekends in their house for coaching, they became close to each other and became good friends.
After his graduation, his aunt became sick and eventually died. Her best friend, who was now the PDEA's Director-General, took him to his home. They sent him to college, and as a tribute to his kindness, he took up a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.
Having known ahead of the wickedness of the district of Kamelyo through Allie, he rejoiced secretly. Her place was in the borders of Kamelyo, the direct route by the shoreline towards the factories that employ the people there.
During summer vacations, Allie regularly worked in one of these factories. Brilliant students like got privileges of special assignments as the company's program to help those aspiring students to have financial means during school days.
And because some workers were mostly Ate Elsa's relatives and some were her acquaintances through them, she knew the dark secrets behind the production of these companies. Her knowledge about these evil transactions in the whole district of Kamelyo was the bright hope of Dino to get a rank promotion. Most of all, to make his uncle, Director-General Alfonso, proud and happy for him.
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Meanwhile, Leo and Ajie were shivering in fear as they sat down before the desk of an interrogation officer.
"Do you know that the total weight of these drug packets inside this bag is 80 grams?" The officer fixed his gaze firmly on the frightened looks of the father and son.
They both shook their heads vigorously. Anyone could tell through their expressions that they were innocent. Leo's face had already turned red. He wanted to cry, but he did not want to frighten his son more. He regretted the day he decided to send him here.
It was not enough. The next statement of the officer scared them to death.
"Do you know that the law stated it that a penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10 million should be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, will be found possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamines hydrochloride or shabu? "
Ajie almost fainted when he heard this. He was here to find success and build a good future and not to rot his dreams inside a prison cell. Leo could not hold his urge to cry anymore.
"I'm sorry, son. If only I knew that this would happen, we should not have come. We are here to find you the best university... "
Ajie did not say a word, but his tears were running fast down his face. His knuckles had already turned white in his effort to stop his trembling.
"Sir... " The tension in the atmosphere halted when Dino walked into the room. He gazed into the eyes of the two innocent victims who were crying silently and then to the interrogation officer.
"Please follow me," Dino said as he walked out of the room, leaving the father and son wondering what was happening.
Their forlorn figure made them look like desperate victims waiting for their verdict of capital punishment.
To the officer's surprise, the whole team of a special task force was already gathering inside a large function room. Officers of the higher ranks were there. What shocked him the most was the presence of the Director-General.
"We will be planning for a major operation tonight..." One of the officers answered his unspoken questions, seeing his bewildered look.
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During that night of the commotion in Elsa's place, Dino and his team, together with the higher and major task forces with the presence of his uncle, Director-General Alfonso, were finalizing their execution plan in the arrest of the people behind this great drug syndicate. For many years they had ruled and employed the people of Kamelyo as their troops of drug mules under the cloak of their designation as factory workers and administrators. The plants which manufactured computer parts, electronic components, and metallurgical elements had a mega laboratory of illegal drugs, connecting one building to another, underneath its massive buildings. The protection of their passage routes along the shoreline, which the company owners asked, was only an act of pretense to drive away from the suspicion of the anti-drug forces.
Also, during that night, Allie sent Dino a message about her prediction that Ben, who held a high position in the company, would not delay in sending his revenge towards the man who reopened his old wound caused by a failure of winning the woman he loved before. Of course, Dino would value any of her requests. Not only as a friend who also desired for his success but as the main lead in pointing out the main culprit of the high crime which was long happening in their place.
While some of Dino's men were hiding beneath the thick rows of mangroves to capture the bearer of that bag of drug packets, Allie placed her spy camera into the hole.
...