Ex-PDEA chief Villanueva serves detention order in Batasan

Former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Wilkins Villanueva turned himself in to the House of Representatives on Monday, January 13, to serve the contempt and detention order issued against him in December, a House leader said Tuesday.

House QuadComm lead chairperson and Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers made the announcement, saying that Villanueva showed up in Batasang Pambansa as early as 9 am last Monday.

“Wilkins yesterday presented himself to the House of Representatives Office of the Sergeant at Arms [Napoleon Taas],” Barbers said.

“He is now in the detention facility,” Barbers added.

Villanueva was cited in contempt and ordered detained in Batasang Pambansa in December for allegedly lying since he repeatedly denied involvement in the warrantless arrest of Jed Sy, wife of drug suspect Allan Sy, in January 2005.

Sy and House QuadComm vice chairperson and Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop contested Villanueva’s denials, with Acop citing a PDEA report showing that Sy was detained by PDEA twice.

Villanueva has been ordered detained until the QuadComm wraps up its inquiry on the Duterte administration's drug war.

Villanueva has maintained that he does not recall arresting Sy but he remembers her being questioned at the PDEA office in the aftermath of a December 2004 PDEA raid of a shabu lab in Dumoy, Davao City.

--VAL. GMA Integrated News