The family of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agent Merton Fesway, who was reportedly abducted by suspected state forces in Angeles City, Pampanga on June 25, has appealed to the Office of the President to help in finding the missing agent.
The 38-year-old Fesway of Bontoc, Mountain Province cannot be contacted yet by his family reason why delegates from his hometown launched last week a massive search on his possible whereabouts.
The delegates composed of the mother and common-law-wife of Fesway, local officials of Bontoc, representatives from the Office of Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr., and volunteers went to the provincial and regional office of PDEA in Region 3 for coordination while they also sought an audience with Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr.
The National Bureau of Investigation Region 3 vowed to conduct a parallel investigation on the reported abduction of Fesway, who was part of the series of anti-illegal drugs operations in Pampanga the past years.
On the day of his reported abduction, Fesway left the PDEA office alone on June 25 while his officemates were at the PDEA regional office in San Fernando City, Pampanga to attend their office anniversary.
The Public Attorney’s Office, which extended assistance to the family of Fesway during the initial search, reported that all police stations in Angeles City, including the Angeles City Drug Enforcement Unit, Mabalacat and Dau police stations, informed them that the missing agent is not in their custody.
The Angeles City Prosecutor’s Office also informed the PAO that no case was filed against Fesway from the date of his abduction up to present.
On July 5, Dalog wrote to the director of NBI Region 3 to extend assistance to the search team from Bontoc, as the members are not familiar with the different places in Central Luzon.
Mountain Province Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr. also wrote to Lazatin to help the search team in obtaining information from concerned agencies that could possibly help in finding Fesway.
The Sangguniang Bayan of Bontoc also passed a resolution appealing to the NBI, Commission on Human Rights, Philippine National Police, PDEA, and other agencies to investigate the incidents that led to Fesway’s disappearance.
The search team has informed Baguio journalists on July 7 that the PDEA regional and provincial offices will not release any information unless directed by their central office.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Asec. Marie Rafael, who was informed about the missing PDEA agent, has informed the Courier on July 7 that PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva might create a task force to investigate the case of Fesway.
Meanwhile, the search team reported that three Baguio residents, namely Jeffrey Casampol, Bernardino Culala, and Mark Wilson Agustin, who were supposed to meet Fesway in Angeles on June 25, are also reportedly missing.
The colored white Toyota GL Hi-ace van with license plate CBF 8042 used by the three missing Baguio residents when they traveled to Angeles is also missing.
Another former PDEA agent known as “Regie” alias Pinto, who informed Fesway’s common-law-wife that something wrong happened to the PDEA agent, has also disappeared. – Harley F. Palangchao
April 20, 2024
