Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Dionisio Santiago fumed on Tuesday over the release of Baguio City’s “shabu queen” who was granted bail by a local court.

With this, Santiago urged the judiciary for their support for law enforcement agencies in bringing to justice drug offenders.

“This is becoming an unhealthy trend which can dishearten dedicated law enforcers,” Santiago said in a statement.

The PDEA chief said he learned that Baguio City’s “shabu queen” Brenda Alidem Singson was granted bail by Judge Antonio Reyes of Baguio City Regional Trial Court Branch 61 five days after she was arrested last Aug. 22.

“To make matters worse, her motion to reduce bail was granted, so she paid a minimal amount (P80,000) for two violations of RA 9165. Ordinarily, the recommended bail for drug cases, should it be applicable, is in the range of P200,000,” Santiago said.

In the meantime, Santiago directed the Agency’s Legal and Prosecution Service led by Atty. Alvaro Lazaro to exhaust all legal remedies to address the granting of bail to Singson.

PDEA operatives arrested Brenda Alidem Singson on August 22 after catching her red-handed during the issuance of a Search Warrant at her three-storey residence located at 34 Magnolia corner Gladiola Streets, QM Subdivision, City Camp Proper, Baguio City.

Singson is listed as the Number 4 most wanted drug personality in Baguio City and the highest ranking among the female targets in the Cordillera Region.

She was previously arrested in 1990 for violation of Section 4 (Sale, Administration, Delivery, Distribution and Transportation of Prohibited Drugs) of RA 6425. She was acquitted in 1992 by the same judge who recently granted her bail.