Isidro Lapeña
Filipino retired police officer and former government official
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Isidro S. Lapeña (born January 2, 1951) is a Filipino retired police officer and former government official former served as director general of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and commissioner of Bureau of Customs.
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Isidro Lapeña Ph.D., CSEE | |
|---|---|
Lapeña in 2017 | |
| Director General of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority | |
| In office October 25, 2018 – June 30, 2022 | |
| President | Rodrigo Roa Duterte |
| Preceded by | Sec. Guiling A. Mamondiong |
| Succeeded by | Sec. Danilo P. Cruz |
| Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs | |
| In office August 30, 2017 – October 25, 2018 | |
| President | Rodrigo Roa Duterte |
| Preceded by | Nicanor Faeldon |
| Succeeded by | Rey Leonardo Guerrero |
| Director General of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency | |
| In office July 2016 – August 2017 | |
| President | Rodrigo Roa Duterte |
| Preceded by | Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Aaron N. Aquino |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Isidro S. Lapeña January 2, 1950 |
| Philippine Military Academy (BS) | |
| Police career | |
| Service | Philippine National Police |
| Divisions |
|
| Service years | 1973–2006 |
| Rank |  Police Deputy Director General |
Police career
Graduate of PMA Maagap Class of 1973, notable police assignment of Lapeña was being the Davao City Police Chief under then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.[1] Lapeña's batchmates are former police general Thompson Lantion, and former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.[2] Lapeña also served as Directorate for Operations,[3] and later served as deputy chief for operations and retired on January 2, 2007, with the rank of Deputy Director General (3-star rank).[4]
Civilian career
Lapeña was appointed by then-President Duterte as director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency from July 12, 2016, to August 30, 2017.[5][6] He conducted operations against "high value targets" in the Philippine drug war and was in charge of verifying drug watchlists that identified suspects for "neutralization".[7]
He was reassigned at Bureau of Customs on August 30, 2017.[2] But, in 2018, he was implicated in the Custom's drug smuggling scandal, and other officials for smuggling of the ₱11 billion worth of methamphetamine, locally known as shabu which was discovered inside the magnetic lifters in a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite.[8] He claimed it was only a demolition job against him,[9] will not resign, and did not show up in the Senate probe.[10] The Department of Justice later halted probe process, after Lapeña was reassigned.[11]
On October 25, 2018,[1] he was reassigned again, this time at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority as its director general.[12] He served until June 30, 2022.[13]
Lapeña is among the "Davao Boys", a small circle of Duterte's trusted associates, which included police officers who were previously posted to Davao, implemented the nationwide drug war, and were afterwards given choice government assignments.[14]
On February 13, 2026, the International Criminal Court included Lapeña among eight indirect co-perpetrators in the crimes against humanity case against president Duterte during the Philippine drug war.[15]