MANILA - Four policemen are under probe after anti-narcotics agents seized alleged illegal drugs in GMA, Cavite, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Friday.

PDEA Chief Aaron Aquino, however, declined to give the identities of the policemen but added the uniformed men are still in service.

Aquino announced Thursday the relief of PDEA Deputy Director General for Administration Ismael Fajardo for allegedly conniving with former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban, and dismissed policeman Eduardo Acierto to smuggle drugs into the country.

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"Level (of participation) niya is the same with Guban and Acierto. Pero ang sabi ni Fajardo sakin, binulag siya ni Guban. Guban and Fajardo is doing something without Fajardo knowing," he said.

Fajardo is currently under floating status, pending results from the agency's investigation.

Aquino said he has yet to determine the degree of involvement of the four policemen who were part of Guban's group.

Aquino said he is looking into the possibility of the group's modus by framing arrests to smuggle drugs into the country.

"Again sinasabi ko it is already a trademark of the international drug syndicates, nagpapahuli, nagpapalusot. Huli ang isa, lusot ang apat. Kita ang drug syndicates. You don't need a mathematician to compute," he said.

Aquino cited this modus referring to the seizure of P2.4 billion worth of shabu in the Manila International Container Terminal in August, barely two days apart, before the empty magnetic lifters were discovered.

Aquino, who previously pushed for Fajardo's promotion this year as his deputy, said he is saddened by Fajardo's possible involvement but does not, however, regret vouching for him.

"'Sayang, magaling si Director Fajardo. Ang laki ng kinontribute niya sa PDEA in terms of accomplishment, matagal na rin siya sa PDEA and narcotics units, sayang kung mawawala lang lahat ng pinaghirapan niya," he said.

The PDEA chief also discounted politics in the agency as the reason for Fajardo's implication to drug smuggling.

"We're waiting for the committee report from the House and Senate, this will be our basis to have a tight case against the group," Aquino said.

Aquino confirmed two more PDEA personnel from the PDEA's RO-NCR were relieved from their posts so they could not influence the probe on Fajardo.

Aquino said former AFP Colonel Rick Santiago will replace Fajardo as the new DGGA.

Fajardo refused to issue a comment.