Packs of suspected shabu worth P2 million were seized by police in a buy bust operation in Barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City past 12:00 midnight on Wednesday.

Mauricio Jumao-as, 47, resident of Sitio Mahayahay and Rogelio Villamor, 47, resident of Sitio Marbeach, both in Barangay Marigondon were arrested by elements of the City Intelligence Branch led by PSI Joey Bicoy under the supervision of PCI Mark Gifter Sucalit.

Jumao-as was nabbed at 12:05 a.m. with four medium packs of suspected shabu worth P236,000, P1,400 cash believed to be proceeds of illegal drug trade and the the P15,000 cash used in the buy-bust.

Villamor, on the otherhand, was nabbed at 12:40 a.m. at his residence with five large packs of suspected shabu worth P1.77 million, P5,000 cash believed to be proceeds of illegal drug trade and P15,000 cash used as buy-bust money.

Jumao-as and Villamor are both high value target drug personalities in Lapu-Lapu City.

The post P2 million worth of drugs seized in Lapu buy-bust appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

CEBU CITY–The police arrested 58 drug suspects and confiscated P2.3 million worth of shabu during simultaneous operations in Cebu City on Tuesday evening.

At least 23 drug users and pushers also surrendered during the implementation of the Oplan Pokemon which aims to locate and arrest drug personalities in the city.

Aside from shabu, the police also confiscated 106 gambling machines. Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office, said they utilized at least 200 policemen from all 11 police stations in Cebu City as well as operatives of thr Special Action Force, the Public Safety Battalion, as well as the intelligence and investigation units in the city. “This is the first time we used all our police stations. We arrested a number of persons and confiscated lots of shabu,” he said.

But Doria was not completely happy. “I was expecting our policemen to arrest more drug suspects. But we are not done yet. Expect more operations in the coming days,” he added.

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A group of Cebuano boxing officials filed a petition to oust Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Chief of Boxing Chairman Dr. Nasser Cruz from his office because of alleged corruption.

International boxing judge Edward Ligas, along with referees Tony Pesons and Edgar Olalo, and ring physician Dr. Jose Unabia held a press conference Wednesday morning at the Abuhan Tres, Cebu City to announce their petition against Cruz.

“We want to stop the illegal and immoral abuse of Dr. Cruz. We already asked for his transfer to other division and gave him due process but nothing happened, so we decided to publicize our petition so that action will be taken immediately,” said Ligas.

GAB chairman Abraham Mitra and other Cebu GAB officials have set a dialogue with local boxing promoters at the GAB Cebu City office on Saturday before Pinoy Pride 39 boxing event at the Cebu Coliseum to talk about the matter.

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LOOT

CEBU CITY–Retired police general and now Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot is set to file charges against Eastern Visayas’ top drug personality Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. and other persons who linked him in the illegal drugs trade.

In a statement, Loot said filing charges against those who ruined his name would be the first step to vindicate himself.

“I will start with filing of charges against those who used my name in collecting drug money. This will now be the opportunity for me to clear my name,” he said.

Loot was among the five top police officials identified as illegal drug “protectors” by President Rodrigo Duterte last July.

Aside from Loot, also named drug coddlers by the President were retired Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr., Director Joel Pagdilao, and Chief Superintendents Bernardo Diaz and Edgardo Tinio.

Loot repeatedly denied the accusations against him, saying there were people who just wanted to pin him down.

“I am a victim of influence peddling by unscrupulous people. When a person has the rank, position, influence and credibility, his name is easily peddled and sold to law breakers by scalawags in the service or persons with personal interests,” he said.

Asked who in particular he intended to sue, the one-star general said his lawyers were taking care of the matter.

During the resumption of the hearing on the killing of his father, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. on Wednesday, Kerwin identified Loot as among the police officials who coddled him.

Kerwin claimed giving a P120,000 monthly payola in 2011 to Loot through Chief Insp. Leo Laraga who led the police team that raided the cell of the slain Mayor Espinosa last Nov. 5.

Loot vehemently denied the allegations.

“We both don’t know each other personally, and there is no personal transaction between us, either by phone or in person,” he said.

Loot said he doesn’t know Laraga and that the latter was never assigned to him.

“There is no Leo Laraga assigned under me. I don’t remember knowing him personally or was assigned under me,” he said.

Loot believed another person used his name to demand and collect protection money from Kerwin.

“My office is only involved in administrative or personnel matters. We don’t handle or supervise operations of line units involved in anti-drugs or anti-criminality operations,” he said, referring to his position when he was the deputy director for administration in Easter Visayas.

Loot, 56, headed the Central Visayas Regional Anti-Narcotics Office before he headed the Cebu Provincial Police Office from 2005 to 2007. He was later named deputy for operations of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), and was deputy regional director for administration in Eastern Visayas (2010 to 2012).

He retired in July 2015 and ran for mayor of Daanbantayan last May.

Loot, who has four children aged 34, 27, 26, and 24, won over his opponent by a margin of just seven votes.

The post Loot denies illegal drug trade link, will file case against Kerwin appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

Irvin Estrella is one of 58 drug suspects arrested in Oplan ‘Pokemon’ implemented last Tuesday. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

About 58 drug suspects were arrested and P2.3 million worth of shabu seized by police in simultaneous operations dubbed as “Oplan Pokemon” in Cebu City last Tuesday evening.

Aside from shabu, the police also confiscated 106 gambling machines as well as three illegal firearms.

“This is the first time all police stations and units conducted a joint operation. As a result, we were able to arrest a number of drug suspects and confiscated lots of shabu and illegal gambling machines,” said Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office.

At least 200 policemen from all 11 police precincts in Cebu City, operatives of the Special Action Force, the Public Safety Battalion, as well as the intelligence and investigation units in the city were tapped to take part in the operation.

No one resisted arrest. “Maybe, they were surprised by the number of police operatives who were part of the raids,” Doria said.

Though the police arrested a number of persons, Doria expected more.

“I expected our policemen to arrest more drug suspects. But maybe, some drug personalities anticipated what we intended to do. But we are not done yet. I want our policemen to conduct Oplan Pokemon once a week or twice a month,” he said.

Doria said he hopes to eradicate illegal gambling in Cebu City before the Christmas season.

“I understand that our detention facilities are filled beyond capacity. But that is not a reason for us to stop conducting operations and effecting arrest,” he said.

Doria also challenged policemen to coordinate with barangay officials for the issuance of clearances if and when a village is already free from illegal drugs and gambling.

Elsewhere, a suspected drug pusher was shot down while heading south in Cebu by motorcycle-riding assailants in Barangay Bato, Toledo City last Tuesday afternoon.

Salem Sabroso, a 32-year-old resident of Barangay Magdugo, Toledo City, sustained multiple gunshot wounds while riding his motorcycle, said PO2 Joselito Genon of the Toledo City police precinct.

Recovered from the victim’s possession was a loaded 9 mm pistol and P3,500 cash.

Genon said Sabroso was in their watch list and had a pending case at the court.

He eluded arrest in a buy-bust operation last Nov. 5.

The post 58 caught, P2.3M shabu seized appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

OSMEÑA

CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he was not surprised by the statements of suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa that he was supplying illegal drugs in some of the barangays in Cebu City.

In fact, the mayor said he believes some barangay officials in Cebu City are involved in the illegal drug trade.

“No, I’m not surprised. I already said, there are barangay officials involved. (But) I will not accept if there is any BO-PK (Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan) that’s involved in drugs or any kind of shenanigans or corruption,” he told reporters yesterday.

He admitted though that he was not able to watch yesterday’s Senate hearing where Espinosa made damning revelations about police and other personalities who were linked to the drugs trade he operated both in Cebu and in Leyte province in Eastern Visayas.

During the hearing, Espinosa admitted to supplying drugs in Cebu City barangays including Pasil, Ermita, Lorega San Miguel and Duljo-Fatima.

In a separate interview, Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office, said they continue monitoring particular barangays in Cebu City that are known for the illegal drugs trade, particularly Duljo-Fatima, Lorega San Miguel, Ermita and Pasil.

“We are concentrating our operations on these areas,” he said.

Pasil Barangay Captain Julius Guioguio admitted they are still faced with a drug problem in his barangay, but it is no longer as prevalent, thanks to the intense anti-drug campaign of the police under the Duterte administration.

Cebu Daily News tried to get the comments of Barangay Captains Felicisimo Rupinta of Ermita, Elmer Abella of Duljo-Fatima and Fritz Herera of Lorega San Miguel, but calls and texts to their mobile phone numbers were not answered.

Osmeña said he is not familiar with Espinosa or his operation, as he only heard about the suspected drug lord when he became mayor this year. But from the information he has gathered, he said he learned that Espinosa used to be an underling of slain suspected drug lord Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz before he started his own drug operation.

Osmeña likewise pointed out that his own anti-drug campaign has led to the arrest or death of nine out of the ten most wanted personalities in Cebu City. These included Rowen “Yawa” Secretaria, who was killed in a Cebu police raid at his hideout on Banacon Island, off Getafe town of Bohol last May 28; and of Jaguar, who was killed in another Cebu police–led operation in Las Piñas City last July 17.

The policemen responsible for getting Jaguar and Yawa got cash rewards from the mayor.

But in his testimony in yesterday’s Senate hearing, Espinosa said the deaths of Jaguar and Yawa were allegedly part of the “cleansing” operation of policemen with links to the illegal drugs trade.

Sought for comment on this, the mayor immediately quashed allegations that could link him to Jaguar’s drug trade.

“No need to comment on that. I already challenged (former city mayor) Mike Rama to join me in a lie detector test if we ever asked or received money from Jaguar. He consistently refused. There is your answer,” Osmeña said in a text message.

The post Kerwin reveals distributing drugs in Cebu City barangays; Tomas ‘not surprised’ appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

TEARS OF FRUSTRATION. Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, frustrated over the corruption in the PNP, cries during the second Senate inquiry into the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. held on Nov. 23, 2016. At right, Espinosa’s son, suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, hands him some tissue paper. (INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON)

Kerwin Espinosa exposes how it has become a standard operating procedure (SOP) for him to spend millions of pesos in  drug money to buy the protection of police officers, their middle men and government officials.

The culture of corruption has taken deep roots in the Philippine National Police (PNP) that giving out drug protection money, starting with those from the lower ranks all the way to generals, has become a standard.

The so-called SOP, short for “standard operating procedure,” is so pervasive in the PNP, if Eastern Visayas’ top drug lord Kerwin Espinosa were to be believed, as he bared the names of former and incumbent police officials who took drug money from him.

Testifying before the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs yesterday, Kerwin narrated how millions of pesos were funneled to top ranking policemen and their underlings to keep them “happy,” including the giving of a P120,000 monthly payola in 2012 to retired police general and now Mayor Vicente Loot of Daanbantayan, Cebu through Chief Insp. Leo Laraga of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Eastern Visayas (CIDG-8).

Laraga was the same police officer who led the police team that killed Kerwin’s father, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., when they raided his detention cell at the sub-provincial jail in Baybay City on Nov. 5.

The SOP, Kerwin revealed, was not just limited to the police but also included local officials in Leyte. In the case of the residents of Albuera, he said he and his late father had been generous to them, as a means of sharing the wealth derived from the drugs trade.

Sen. Leila de Lima, who Kerwin claimed during the Senate hearing to have received a total of P8 million from him through her former driver-bodyguard Ronnie Dayan, on the other hand, opted against quizzing Kerwin, saying that his revelation is a “nice script” and a “total fabrication.” (see separate story)

Kerwin also told of sharing drug supplies with policemen who themselves were drug pushers, using the drugs supplied to him by alleged top drug traders that included Cebuano businessman Peter Lim.

Efforts to reach Lim for comment were left unanswered. Instead, Lim’s legal counsel, Pedro Leslie Salva, gave a short answer when asked to comment on Kerwin’s revelations.

“Hearsay,” he said in a text message to CDN.

He refused to answer phone calls. When asked to elaborate on his response, Salva texted back: “??”

Loot, who was then the deputy director for administration of the Regional Police Office in Eastern Visayas, when called by Cebu Daily News, once again belied any drug links, insisting he did not even know Laraga.

“There is no Leo Laraga assigned under me. I don’t remember knowing him personally or was assigned under me,” he said.

Loot said he is set to file charges against Kerwin and the other persons who implicated him in the drug trade, adding that filing charges against these persons is the first step to vindicate himself.

“I will start with filing of charges against those who used my name in collecting drug money. This will now be the opportunity for me to clear my name,” he said in a text message to CDN.

I am a victim of influence peddling by unscrupulous people. When a person has the rank, position, influence and credibility, his name is easily peddled and sold to law breakers by scalawags in the service or persons with personal interests,” he said.

But to Kerwin, the death two other Cebuano drug “distributors” like him — Rowen “Yawa” Secretaria on Banacon Island in Getafe, Bohol last May 28 and of Jeffry “Jaguar” Diaz in Las Piñas City last July 17 — were part of the “cleansing” operation of alleged narco-policemen who would want to silence them before President Rodrigo Duterte could assume office and uncover the scalawags in uniform.

Kerwin revealed the SOP was also practiced in the PNP in Cebu but he said he would not know who got them since they were taken care of by Jaguar.

President Rodrigo Duterte is photographed with Cebuano businessman Peter Lim when they attended the wedding of the daughter of their common friend, Fernando “Ding” Borja, in Cebu on July 17, 2016. (Photo from FACTS Against Ignorance Facebook account)

Kerwin said the deaths of Yawa and Jaguar were the reason why he flee the country, two days after Jaguar was killed, because he feared he would be next, given the fact that there were so many policemen who had received SOP from him.

Kerwin’s tale of how extensive the corruption in PNP appeared to overwhelm Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa who, seated beside Kerwin during the Senate hearing, broke down in tears as he lamented the loss of public trust on the PNP and the difficulty of fighting illegal drugs in the country.

“Your honor, I can’t blame the public if they are losing trust and confidence on the police because I, myself sabi ko nga, hindi mo na minsan alam kung sino ang pagkakatiwalan (I no longer know whom to trust),” Dela Rosa told the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs when Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri asked how he could clean the ranks of the police.

Zubiri noted that in the documents that President Duterte had shown them, many of the personalities allegedly involved in illegal drugs are PNP officials and personnel.

“Minsan, your honor, pinapasa-Diyos ko na lang ang sitwasyon namin sa PNP. Gusto ko lang ma-reform ang PNP… Pero ako’y hirap na hirap na (Sometimes, I just raised to God our situation in the PNP. I only want reforms in the PNP. But it’s getting harder),” Dela Rosa said in between sobs.

“But I will never surrender . Sabi ko nga sa inyo, if you survived pre-board in the PMA (Philippine Military Academy), you will survive the world .

Kaya ko ito. Hindi ko ito uurungan. Lilinisin ko ang PNP hangga’t sa makakaya ko (As I have told you, if you survived pre-board in the PMA, then you can survive the world. I can do this. I will not back down. I will reform the PNP as long as I can),” he said.

Addressing Duterte, the PNP chief promised to stick with him in the fight against illegal drugs.

“Sir, hindi kita iiwan sa laban na ito (I will never leave you in this fight). I will be with you, through thick and thin, no matter what. Lahat ng kaya ko gagawin ko (I will do everything I can),” he said.

Kerwin’s revelation on why Jaguar was killed now appeared to have strengthen the claim of lawyer Augusto Isidoro, the former assistant director of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) handling the narcotics division, who believed that Jaguar was killed to silence him before he could divulge the identifies of his bosses and protectors.

Isidoro, who was assigned in Cebu from March 2015 to January 2016, claimed Diaz had several “protectors” including police officers, politicians and other “big” personalities in the different government offices.

“These people behind him feared so much that Jaguar might implicate them soon, so they summarily killed him,” Isidoro said. “Dead men tell no tales. Obviously the purpose of the killing is to silence him (Jaguar). Who can track Jaguar’s whereabouts? Precisely his protectors.”

Diaz was killed by operatives of the Regional Special Operations Group in Central Visayas then led by Supt. George Ylanan and former Regional Intelligence Division chief, Supt. Rex Derilo. Both Ylanan and Derilo were relieved from their posts and were transferred to Mindanao last July. Two months after, they were directed to report to the holding unit under the office of PNP Chief Rosa after they were named as protectors of another suspected Cebuano drug lord, Franz Sabalones.

In the case of Loot, Kerwin claimed he gave him the monthly payola of P100,00 “several times,” which only stopped when Loot was transferred to Camp Crame in Quezon City by the end of 2012.

Kerwin said he did not personally meet Loot, but he gave the money allegedly to Laraga, an allegation that the latter denied.

Loot was among the five top police officials identified as illegal drug “protectors” by President Rodrigo Duterte last July.

Aside from Loot, also named drug coddlers by the President were retired Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr., Director Joel Pagdilao, and Chief Superintendents Bernardo Diaz and Edgardo Tinio.

In 2012, Kerwin said he was also introduced to Supt. Santi Noel Matira who allegedly initially received a P15,000 weekly payola from him until it was increased to P25,000 when his area of distribution in Leyte expanded. Matira is also part of the raiding team that killed his jailed father.

Kerwin also revealed giving a P15,000 weekly SOP to a certain Inspector Chua, and issued checks totaling P3 million to Chief Supt. Asher Dolina, former PRO-8 director, through his middleman Victor Espina, brother-in-law of former Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge, retired Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, in 2015.

He also accused Supt. Marvin Marcos, former head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Eastern Visayas, of soliciting P3 million to fund the campaign of the colonel’s wife who ran for vice mayor of Pastrana town in Leyte. Marcos was the head of the police operation that led to the death of Kerwin’s father inside the Leyte sub-provincial jail in Baybay City, Leyte.

Kerwin named Lim, through Jaguar, a certain Lovely Adam Impal and Peter Co as his suppliers of illegal drugs.

Espinosa claimed that in 2005, as an underling of Jaguar, he was introduced by Jaguar to Impal when they met inside the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC) in Lahug, Cebu City.

“Supplier ko si Lovely Adam Impal at Jaguar kasi sila ang malalaking negosyante ng shabu sa panahon na ‘yon (Impal and Jaguar supplied me illegal drugs since they were the big players at that time),” he said.

Impal is a native of Cagayan De Oro but she owns properties in Iligan City, Bukidnon province, said Kerwin.

While inside the jail, Kerwin said he would ask his men, including a village councilor, to sell drugs supplied by Impal. The proceeds from Kerwin’s drug deals will then be delivered to Jaguar through his brother Ryan while Impal received her share in her bank account. The remaining collectibles went to Kerwin.

He said he started dealing drugs with P700 as capital, peddling drugs by sachets, until he eventually was able to produce up to P1.5 million in a single drug deal while being in detention.

When he was transferred to the New Bilibid Prison, Kerwin met there the now freed Vizconde massacre suspect Hubert Webb, Chinese drug lord Peter Co, slain inmate Tony Co, Eugene Chua and a certain Boss Hanz.

He said Webb and other inmates had asked him to join the “Sputnik” Gang, but he ended up working for Co, from whom he said he received four kilos of shabu (metamphetamine) until it grew to up to 10 kilos, to be sold in 40 days.

Kerwin’s and Co’s men outside the Bilibid were the ones negotiating for their bosses. He identified his henchmen as Nelson “Jun” Pepito, village councilor in Albuera, Leyte, and a Marcelo Adorco.

Now out of jail and operating in Leyte since 2011, Kerwin said his drug business grew from selling 300 grams of shabu a week to disposing 10 kilos in 40 days, earning for him P10 million. Half of the amount, he said, were given as payola to policemen and other government officials and salaries to his personnel. He said he also distributed money to his poor neighbors.

But after his father was killed, Kerwin said he realized that getting involved in the illegal drugs trade is wrong.

“I should be made answerable for my father’s death. He was innocent. He was dragged into the issue because of me. I should not have entered this kind of business,” he said.

Before the nine-hour proceedings at the Senate ended yesterday, Senator Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, appealed to the police to ensure Kerwin’s safety.

“Iingatan ninyo siya (Take good care of him). Let Kerwin live to tell his story,” he said.

The post ‘SOP’ appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

Based on its records, the satellite agency arrested drug pushers from the provinces of Cebu, Leyte, Davao, Bukidnon, Agusan, and Misamis (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO).

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in Bohol (NBI-Bohol) have arrested at least 100 drug suspects and confiscated about P5 million worth of illegal drugs since January 2016.

Based on its records, the satellite agency arrested drug pushers who came from the provinces of Cebu, Leyte, Davao, Bukidnon, Agusan, and the Misamis provinces.

Lawyer Rennan Augustus Oliva, NBI-Bohol chief, said that although the Philippine National Police has the primary tasks to get rid of illegal drugs, the NBI-Bohol wanted to assist their local counterparts in the PNP.

“Bohol has its share of drug problem because of the many islands comprising it. It is accessible from Cebu, Leyte, and Mindanao,” he said.

The post NBI-Bohol seized P5M drugs, arrested 100 suspects in 11 months appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

A detained female drug suspect perhaps encapsulated what is one of many reasons why the illegal drug trade continues unabated despite the hammer-and-tongs approach used by the Duterte administration in hopes of permanently shutting it down.

Interviewed by reporters, the female drug suspect wistfully noted that she can earn P6,000 to P7,000 a week just by selling shabu. In contrast, she can only hope to take home P600 a week to P1,000 at most selling food outside the schools.

Last Saturday, a construction worker named Edward Amancia Luzon was caught in a drug bust trying to sell P6.8 million worth of shabu that was wrapped in a brown bag to an undercover cop.

Luzon claimed that he was only told to deliver it to a prospective buyer who turned out to be a cop, but good luck to him trying to disprove the evidence against him.

Who knows how much he was paid to deliver the shabu if what he claimed was true, but it must have been large enough for him to agree to delivering it discreetly away from public attention.

But it’s not just about the lure of fast, easy, yet dangerous money, though it is quite tempting to those who, like the female drug suspect, barely earn enough to get by on a daily basis.

It’s also about trying to get the users or addicts to give up their habit, a task the Duterte administration is loath to do as evidenced by President Rodrigo Duterte’s description of shabu addicts as beyond hope of rehabilitation.

So far, the Duterte administration had focused on the low-level pushers even if they have Kerwin Espinosa in their custody. And not a few people view with skepticism the government’s handling of a major drug lord since they suspect that Kerwin will be used to further pin down Senator Leila de Lima, the President’s fiercest critic so far.

But it’s still six months in the war against illegal drugs, the President’s supporters insist, and there is still a long way to go. What we’ve seen so far is problematic and disturbing if we go by the casualty count alone.

The death of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. inside a cell with no witnesses other than his executioners marked a new low or high in the war on drugs depending on which side of the fence one stands in. And while the mayor may not be missed aside from his loved ones and loyalists, it represents a disturbing new level of violence against criminals that if left unchecked, can also claim collateral damage along the way.

But even with the prospect of death and execution from nameless, faceless vigilantes, would the drug trade ever be eliminated? So long as government fails to provide better alternatives like rehabilitation and abandons that mandate and leaves the other stakeholders holding the bag, then it won’t.

So drug suspects like Luzon and others who see drugs as a way out of their miserable existence will continue to find ways to dodge the law and sell their drugs.

The post Staying alive appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

MAGPALE

WITH no complaint filed, the Provincial Board could not investigate Daanbantayn Mayor Vicente Loot on his alleged links to the drug trade of alleged drug lord Roland “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr.

Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said that the PB complaints and investigation would wait for a complaint to be submitted before they could conduct an investigation.

“In fact, it has to be verified complaint (where it should) be in an affidavit g’yud kay naa na sa among house rules (since it’s in our house rules),” Magpale said.

Last Wednesday in the Senate hearing, Espinosa admitted that he gave drug money worth P120,000 monthly payola in 2012 to retired police general and now Mayor Loot through Chief Insp. Leo Laraga of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Eastern Visayas (CIDG-8).

However, the PB can initiate probe on Loot as long as it will be initiated by the chairperson of the committee on peace and order, who is the stepson of Loot, PB Member Sun Shimura.

She said that the PB can initiate their own, not necessarily investigation, but it can be a hearing since it can also be in aid of legislation.

Meanwhile, Shimura told Cebu Daily News that the PB cannot conduct investigation of Loot since the accusations happened when the latter was still in the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He said that he does not see the point of investigating in the PB because the allegations happened when Loot was not yet the mayor of Daanbantayan and these were not related to his present position nor affect his responsibilities as mayor of the town.

The post Complaint needed at PB to probe Loot appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

Suspected drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa arrived at the airport last Nov. 18 from Abu Dhabi where he was arrested. He is currently detained at Camp Crame (PNP-PIO Photo).

Tacloban City — Provincial Prosecutor Arlene Cordovez of Leyte was surprised by the claim of alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa that the signature of his father on his affidavit could have been faked.

She said she didn’t know why Kerwin would say such a thing when the elder Espinosa executed his affidavit in her office on Aug. 24.

The affidavit, which detailed the illegal drug operations of his son, Kerwin, and implicated 226 government and police officials and private persons, was signed in her presence together with some police officials and members of the Espinosa family.

“The late mayor affixed his signature on the affidavit. He signed it in my presence page by page. After he (finished) signing the affidavit, I affixed my signature and administer the oath,” Cordovez said.

“While Kerwin could question the veracity or the truthfulness on the contents of the affidavit, we could not believe it when he said that it was forged specially when the late mayor himself signed the affidavit in the presence of so many persons,” she added.

“So we cannot say that someone else signed the affidavit,” Cordovez said.

Among those who witnessed the signing of the affidavit were Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, police director for Eastern Visayas; Senior Supt. Franco Simborio, Leyte provincial police director; Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, Albuera police chief; and family members of the Espinosa family — her daughter Mariel, a niece and his wife.

During his appearance during the Senate inquiry on Wednesday, Kerwin claimed that the signatures that appeared on his father’s affidavit did not belong to his father.

He also said that his father had no idea about his illegal drugs trade because the chief executive had no hand of it.
Cordovez said that while the mayor himself signed the affidavit in front of her, she could not say if the signature was the “usual or real signature” of the elder Espinosa.

While signing the affidavit page by page, she said the mayor was asked if it was his signature which Espinosa affirmed.

While Kerwin believed that his father’s signature was different, Cordovez said it was possible that the mayor “changed” his signature “on purpose.”

But Cordovez said that when Espinosa was signing the affidavit in her office, “he was confident and calm.”

She also said that Espinosa was also informed by lawyers Renz Villegas and Nemensio Negado, who are from the Public Attorney’s Office, of his rights and the consequences of signing the affidavit.

She added she would be willing to appear before the Senate inquiry that looked into the killing of Espinosa if invited by the committee.

The post Leyte prosecutor belies forged signature claim appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

A 33-year-old man was detained for possessing 2.4 grams of crushed, dried marijuana leaves inside his luggage at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on Wednesday.

Personnel of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) of the MCIA asked Joseph Chiongbian to open his luggage after they found a suspicious metallic sachet through the X-ray scanner at the airport.

According to Chief Insp. Albert Timpac, station chief of the Aviation Security Unit of the MCIA, the metallic object turned out to be just the packaging of a medical lozenge.

But what caught the attention of security personnel was when Chiongbian tried to hide a small plastic container inside his pocket after opening his luggage, apparently as he panicked.

“He was asked what was inside the container. He hesitated and said it was just food, that’s why the personnel had suspicions already and forced him to open it. It was found to have cruhed dried leaves of marijuana,” Timpac said in Filipino.

After confirmation from the airport police, Chiongbian was detained in their office until shortly before noon yesterday.

He remained silent the whole time, neither confirming nor denying ownership of the contraband, Timpac said.

A case was filed against Chiongbian for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 before the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office at around 11 a.m. Thursday.

He was released a few hours later, at around 3:45 p.m. after filing a bail bond of P200,000.

The release order was issued by Executive Judge Marie Militante of the Regional Trial Court Branch 54 of Lapu-Lapu City.

According to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 director Yogi Filemon Ruiz, possession of marijuana is only bailable if the weight falls below 500 grams.

Chiongbian was apprehended at around 8:05 a.m. last Wednesday. He was supposedly bound for Davao.

Reached by Cebu Daily News for comment, a family member said that with the case already filed, they thought it better not to comment on the issue anymore.

The post Man caught carrying marijuana at airport appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

DOLINA

TACLOBAN CITY — While Leyte officials applauded Kerwin Espinosa for clearing their names of any involvement in his drug trade, a police general was left shocked that the drug lord would accuse him of receiving payola.

Chief Supt. Asher Dolina, who was police director for Eastern Visayas in 2015, maintained that he had not met Espinosa.

He pointed out that he was police director for Eastern Visayas in 2015 when Espinosa was arrested for illegal possession of firearms.

The case, however, was dismissed due to a technicality.

“I have never met him. That was why I was surprised that my name was tagged as his alleged protector,” said Dolina.

Dolina also denied receiving money from Kerwin, either in cash or checks, to purchase a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

“Why would I ask for an SUV when I had service vehicle of my own as the regional director,” he said.

He said he was glad that Espinosa claimed that he had given him checks because these could be traced through bank records.

“I am thankful that he mentioned that he issued a check in my name. There is a paper trail here if indeed I received money from him,” Dolina said.

He, however, admitted that he knew Victor Espina because the latter is the brother of former Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Director Leonardo Espina and was based in Ormoc City, Leyte.

Espinosa earlier claimed that he knew Dolina through Victor Espina.

Another proof that Espinosa was lying, said Dolina, was that the drug lord didn’t know his first name.

“He just referred to me as Dolina,” he said.

As Dolina struggled to clear his name, Leyte officials who were earlier linked to the Espinosa Drug Group expressed relief that their names were cleared by Espinosa during the Senate inquiry on Wednesday.

Leyte Gov. Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, his cousins Vice Gov. Carlo Loreto and Baybay City Mayor Michael Cari, Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, and Rep. Vicente Veloso of Leyte’s 3rd district said they felt vindicated.

“I knew that the truth will come out and right from the start, the affidavit naming me as among their drug protector was defective and not true,” said Gov. Petilla.

Loreto, for his part, said it was just a “matter of time for the truth to come out.”

“I am happy that I have been finally cleared from the issue. This has been a vindication of my name and we are glad that the truth has come out,” said Loreto in a text message.

Vice Mayor Cari also said Espinosa’s statement only validated his earlier denial that he was never involved in the illegal drugs trade.

“This vindication brings relief for me and my family and more than ever, validates my earlier statements that I have never been involved in any drug activity,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Gomez, meanwhile, blamed politics for dragging his name in the illegal drugs trade.

“We will never be involved in drug trade. And what happened in the past months are political handiworks by Albuera police chief Jovie Espenido and the Codillas,” Gomez said.

Gomez claimed that Espenido was a close friend of the Codillas, a political family in Ormoc who had ruled the city for decades.
Veloso also felt vindicated now that Espinosa had cleared his name.

“I am very, very innocent on this issue. I knew all along that the affidavit was defective. I am thankful that I was vindicated and cleared,” Veloso said.

The post Cheers greet exoneration of Leyte officials appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

Drug suspect Rewell Villanueva alias ‘Peheng’ (in white shirt) and his son Francis John (yellow shirt) were arrested by police in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

CEBU CITY–The son of a retired policeman was killed in a police operation inside his residence in Barangay Carreta past 3 a.m. on Friday.

Gener Rondina, 38, and son of retired SPO4 Generoso Rondina, allegedly engaged police operatives in a shootout when they served a search warrant against the suspect for possession of illegal drugs, said Supt. Joie Yape, head of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG).

Seized from Rondina were 17.2 grams of shabu worth P204,222 and a .45 caliber gun.

Police check items recovered from suspected drug pusher Gener RondIna alias ‘Nognog’ of Sitio Pantaleon, Barangay Carreta, Cebu City. RondIna was killed during the operation. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

The police also conducted another raid in Barangay Tejero to arrest Rondina’s sister Jocelyn who was also allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade. But Jocelyn was not around when the police barged into her residence.

Police arrested Jocelyn’s live-in partner Rewell Villanueva and their 21-year-old son Francis John who were caught in possession of shabu and a .45 caliber gun.

Police investigators had yet to determine the weight and value of the illegal drugs seized from the suspects.

The post Ex-cop son killed in Carreta shootout appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

There’s one Filipino Christmas decor that used to be ubiquitous: the cheap cardboard pop-up belen (nativity scene) you can just buy from any sari-sari store. We used to buy one to place under the Christmas tree (usually a DIY project) and embellished it with whatever was left of our other decorative materials. Some would add cotton on the roof and ground, thinking it was a snowy winter in Bethlehem when Christ was born. I loved adding my plastic toy soldiers or horses to the cut-out figures and made up stories in my mind of the First Noel.

This was my first image of Christmas in Bethlehem: cut-out figures of the Holy Family inside a manger with windows covered in very thin blue plastic to suggest nighttime. Cut-out palm trees, shepherds, the three kings bearing gifts, donkeys, camels and sheep surround the humble birthplace of baby Jesus. Attached to the roof of the stable, a cut-out star casts its golden rays to the infant. The whole cardboard tableaux folds flat for easy storage when Christmas is over.

Few years ago, I chanced upon a store that still sold this pop-up belen and bought it for my daughter who was still small. She was already familiar with pop-up books, and showing this belen became another fun way to tell stories, this time about Christmas.

Thus, when my client, Palm Grass Hotel, the heritage hotel in Junquera street, asked me to design an environment-friendly Christmas decor as part of their Green Christmas campaign, I thought of doing a belen using recycled materials.

I wanted to do my own bigger version of a belen with figures cut out from reclaimed plywood using a jigsaw power tool. I thought of minimizing the use of paints and thinners, so I decided to use a lot of ukay-ukay clothes, old sacks, carton boxes, banig, a buyot (straw bag), old tsinelas or flip-flops and other discarded materials which I selected for color, pattern and texture and glued using clear acrylic emulsion.

The whole work incorporated techniques of collage and assemblage using mixed media. There had to be no other embellishments, no gold or silver trimmings, no typical series lights. Only a lantern is placed above the installation to represent the star, provide cheerful illumination and to add Pinoy touch to the whole scene.

As for the theme, I thought of updating the Christmas scene to depict modern times, thinking of how Christ chose to be born among the very poor. I wondered, if Christ were born today, he would probably choose to be among the homeless, perhaps the refugees fleeing war, the evacuees whose homes were destroyed by natural disasters, or the displaced lumads or ethnic groups going to the city for a better chance of survival.

So for my artwork, I depicted the Holy Family as typical urban migrants, dressed in ukay-ukay clothes with the boy Jesus laid on a carton mat. I titled my work “Tok-Hang” to allude to the recent campaign of authorities to go house to house to knock (toktok) and plea (hangyo) drug suspects to quit the habit and surrender.

But the title is really meant to call attention to that night when Joseph and Mary, with the baby Jesus in her womb, had to flee Herod’s men, sneaking out on a nighttime journey to Bethlehem, where they would go house to house knocking on doors and desperately begging for a place to stay. They finally had to settle in a manger where Christ had his humble birth among the kept animals.

The first Christmas thus saw the Holy Family doing their own version of Tokhang in Bethlehem. My work aims to remind us of that moment as the original spirit of Christmas. That story has parallels in our present times. And yet, as it was in Bethlehem, a poor couple still found joy and hope in the birth of a child.

That paradox, of joy amidst suffering, is perhaps the true message of Christmas. It first came to me looking at that cardboard pop-up belen bought from the sari-sari store.

The post ‘Tok-Hang’ in Bethlehem appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

A SUSPECTED drug pusher was killed, while two others got injured after being shot by two men riding a motorcycle in Barangay Poblacion, Dalaguete town, southern Cebu around 2 p.m. last Friday.

Procopio Molina Salonoy, 48, died instantly after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds in the body, while Lemuel Bejarasco, 42, and Peter Asenjo, 21, suffered injuries after being hit by stray bullets.

PO1 Christopher Amadar of Dalaguete police station said the victims were playing mahjong when the two unidentified motorcycle-riding men who wore bonnets arrived and shot the victim.

Salonoy was reportedly involved in illegal drug trade in their area. He was also arrested in 2000 for illegal gambling.

Also killed by riding-in-tandem men at around 12 noon yesterday in Barangay Pulpogan, Consolacion town, northern Cebu was 41-year-old Rolando Blanco, a drug suspect who hailed from Balamban town but stayed in Barangay Casili, Consolacion.

PO1 Rechie Gilleran of Consolacion Police Station said the victim had just came from visiting his friend in the area and was waiting for a jeepney ride home when the backrider opened fire on him.

Blanco was immediately brought to the hospital in Consolacion but was pronounced dead by attending physician. PO1 Gilleran said the victim worked as a painter but they also received a report that he allegedly sidelined as a drug peddler.

The post 2 drug suspects killed in Cebu appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

A WOMAN who allegedly sold illegal drugs was arrested by the police in a buy-bust operation in Lapu-Lapu City on Friday at past 9 p.m.

Juanita Sadili, 41, of Sitio Sangi, Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City is currently detained at Hoops Dome Police Station. Chief Insp. Jaime Tolentino said police arrested Sadili after handing over P300 worth of alleged shabu to a police poseur-buyer.

In Mandaue City, an armed drug pusher was also arrested in Barangay Guizo during a buy-bust operation.

Ryan Villamor, 35, is currently detained at Centro Police Station pending the filing of charges against him.

The post 2 drug suspects nabbed appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

DESPITE the thousands of drug users and surrenderers in Cebu, the Department of Health will not build a new rehabilitation and treatment center in Cebu for next year.

This developed despite the bigger budget that the DOH has proposed for the new constructions of these rehabilitation and treatment centers for next year, and Cebu is not included in the list of places to build these centers.

DOH Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial said that of the P144-billion proposed budget for 2017, P3 billion is allocated for the rehabilitation and treatment centers.

“These areas are considered because no rehabilitation centers are existing,” Ubial told the reporters in a press conference yesterday Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City.

There will be (construction of) five regional rehabilitation centers and four mega treatment rehabilitation centers (in military camps).

Ubial said that military camps are considered because the lot is surely owned by the government and to address security problem.

The five regional rehabilitation centers considered are in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Socsargen (Region 12), MIMAROPA (Region IV-B), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Negros Island Region (NIR).

Some areas are also considered for the four mega treatment rehabilitation centers. These are Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; one will be in Bataan, Camp, Camp Macario Peralta Jr. in Jamindan, Capiz or in Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Carmen, Bohol. Other camps are considered in Malungon, Sarangani for Mindanao.

According to Dangerous Drug Board website, there is one government-owned rehabilitation center in Cebu, which is DOH – Argao Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Candabong, Binlod, Argao.

Other three rehabilitation centers in Cebu are run by nongovernment organizations.

These include House of Hope Inc. in Lapu-Lapu City, North General Hospital Chemical Dependent’s Control and Rehab Center in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City, and Roads and Bridges to Recovery in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

According to the Cebu Provincial Anti-DrugAbuse Office (CPADAO) director Carmen Durano-Meca last Nov. 17, the number of drug surrenders of the province from July to Nov. 17 is 34,235.

The P3-billion proposed budget for rehabilitation and treatment centers in 2017 is one of the highest increase for 2017. In 2016, the budget was at P600 million.

Ubial said that the increase of budget for rehabilitation and treatment centers is one way to address the increase of drug surrenderers in the country.
DOH has proposed a total of P144-billion budget for 2017. This is higher in 2016 which was at P122 billion.

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MOURNING IN RAGE. Angelica Arrioja narrates how raiding policemen in masks allegedly forced their way into their bedroom, dragged out her partner Gener Rondina, who was pleading for his life, before he ended up dead in an alleged shootout with the police. Behind her is the casket bearing the remains of Rondina at his wake at the barangay chapel in Sitio Sta. Theresita, Barangay Carreta, Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Gener Rondina was acknowledged by his family as a drug peddler. But he was not armed and had raised his hands in surrender when the police came to get him last Friday.

He pleaded for his life before he was gunned down by masked anti-narcotics police operatives at dawn on Friday, insisted his live-in partner yesterday.

“Nagtuo ko og ila lang siyang dakpon, apan ila man gyud diay kining gipatay. (I thought he would just be arrested. But the police killed him),” a stoic Angelica Arrioja, 21, told Cebu Daily News last night.

The family of Gener, the son of a retired policeman, SPO4 Generoso Rondina, is now asking the Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas (CHR-7) to step in and conduct an investigation into the operation that led to Gener’s death.

“Hustisya lang unta ang among gipangayo karon. (We want justice to be served),” Arrioja said, her hands clinched in suppressed rage as she sat in a chair right in front of the casket that bore the remains of her partner, whose wake was being held at a village chapel in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City.

Policemen barged into Gener’s house in Carreta to serve a search warrant issued by the court on the drug suspect.

Gener, 38, was killed after he allegedly engaged police operatives in a shootout, said Supt. Joie Yape, head of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG).

He suffered at least four gunshot wounds on the different parts of his body.

Arrioja said she and Gener were sound asleep inside their bedroom at around 3 a.m. last Friday when they were awakened by a loud banging on their front door.

She said they quickly got up and noticed several policemen entering their house.

Afraid of what might happen to them, Arrioja said they tried to remove the air-conditioning unit inside their room so they could escape.

But when they peeped through the window, they saw some policemen waiting outside their house.

“Na-rattle na mi ato. Iya ko gisugo nga ingon ang mga pulis nga mo-surrender na siya. (We didn’t know what to do. He asked me to inform the police that he would surrender to them),” Arrioja told CDN.

Carrying long firearms, operatives went inside their house and went up to their room, narrated Arrioja.

Arrioja said she and Gener hugged each other when the police entered their room.

She could not recognize any of the operatives because they were wearing masks.

“Napakiluoy siya (Gener). Iya giingnan ang mga pulis nga ‘Di na ko mousab, sir. Mo-surrender na ko.’ Naluoy ko niya (He pleaded to the policemen.

He told them, ‘I won’t do it again. I will surrender.’ I pitied him),” she said.

Arrioja recalled that Gener held his hands up in clear surrender. That was the last time she saw Gener alive.

While she was escorted by the police down the stairs, Arrioja heard bursts of gunfire.

“Wala gyud intawon to siya nisukol. Gani, wala man to siyay armas. (Gener didn’t engage the police in a shootout. He didn’t even have a gun),” Arrioja said.

When she and Gener met two months ago, Arrioja said she advised him to stop peddling or using illegal drugs.

“Ako siya giingnan nga para nako, undang na anang imong bisyo. (I told him to stop selling illegal drugs for my sake),” Arrioja said.

From what she knew, Arrioja said Gener had quit selling drugs.

Marriage postponed

Arrioja and Gener were supposed to marry last Nov. 18.

But the victim’s father, Generoso, said he advised his son to postpone the civil wedding to next year since he heard rumors that Gener was a target of a police operation.

For several years, the former policeman repeatedly advised his son to stop peddling illegal drugs.

“Isip amahan, gusto ko nga adunay maayong kaugmaon ang akong mga anak. (As a father, I wanted all my children to have a good future),” the father of eight told CDN.

VILLARINO

Generoso, 63, said he was afraid something bad would happen to Gener if the latter would continue selling illegal drugs. What he dreaded to happen eventually took place early dawn Friday.

Gener’s father could not believe that his son resisted arrest.

“Suhito ko sa pamalakad sa pulis. Gikan gud ko anang trabahoa. Gituyo gyud na nila og patay ang akong anak. (I am familiar with how policemen operate. I used to be part of the organization. I know they intentionally killed my son),” SPO4 Rondina said.

He said they will ask the CHR to conduct a probe on his son’s death, hoping that justice will be served.

“Sobra ra gyud ang ilang gibuhat. Dili nato komkomon ang balaod sa atong mga kamot. Mosubay lang unta ta sa balaod. (What they did to my son was too much. We ought not to take the law into our hands. We should let the law take its own course),” the retired policeman said.

The grieving father yesterday requested to be brought to the hospital after he felt dizzy and weak.

“Nasagmuyo ko sa gidangatan sa akong anak. Wa gyud ko magkuwang pagpahimangno kaniya nga moundang na nianang bisyoha. Unsaon ta man, ipalapos ra man sa pikas dunggan. (I am deeply saddened with what happened to my son. I never failed to remind him to stop his involvement in illegal drugs. But what could I do, my request fell on deaf ears),” SPO4 Rondina said.

Gener was the third of eight siblings.

“Nagsige ko og ampo nga wala lay dautang mahitabo kaniya, apan karon nahitabo na gyud ang akong gikahadlokan. (I kept on praying that nothing bad would happen to him. But what I feared the most happened),” he added.

CHR: File a complaint first

Leo Villarino, lead investigator of CHR-7, said they would want to investigate the case of Rondina, but they would need to the family to file a complaint first.

At least 172 cases that bore the marks of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects are now being investigated by CHR-7 since late May 2016. Most of the cases investigated by the commission involved policemen, Villarino said.

The reports on the suspected extrajudicial killings were culled mainly from news reports.

So far, Villarino said at least 40 police officers were required to submit their reports on cases of alleged extrajudicial killings.

“Victims of extrajudicial killings may come to our office (to file formal complaints),” he said.

Last Friday, the police also targeted Gener’s sister Jocelyn, who was also allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade.

Jocelyn Rondina, 42, was, however, not around when the police barged into her residence in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.

Police instead arrested Jocelyn’s live-in partner Rewel Villanueva and their 21-year-old son Francis John who were caught in possession of shabu.

About P430,000 worth of illegal drugs were seized from them.

Charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly for possession of shabu, will be filed against the two suspects before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

TALIÑO

Ready for probe

Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), defended the police team that killed Gener.

“Based on the report, the suspect engaged the police in a shootout so our operatives had to fight back,” he said.

Taliño maintained that when drug suspects placed the lives of the police in danger, the latter should protect themselves by neutralizing the target.

He said he nonetheless welcomed any investigation that would be conducted by CHR-7.

“We’re open to any probe. I too do not condone abuses by our policemen. But so far, our operations are legitimate,” Taliño said.

Based on the records of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), at least 142 drug suspects were killed in an alleged shootout with policemen in the region since July 1. Nineteen of them were killed in different operations in Cebu City.

At least 201 other drug suspects were gunned down by still unknown assailants in the region.

The post JUSTICE appeared first on Cebu Daily News.

A DOCTOR was arrested for possession of two sachets of shabu at his clinic beside his home in Golden Meadows Subdivision, Barangay Gabi in Cordova town at 3:30 p.m. last Saturday.

PO3 Eleazar Llanes said the 42-year-old doctor identified as Benjamin Degamo is now detained at the Cordova police precinct pending the filing of charges of illegal drugs possession against him in court tomorrow.

Llanes said PO1 Ricky Pepito was in Dr. Degamo’s clinic for treatment of his insomnia when he saw Dr. Degamo allegedly receiving shabu from an unidentified person.

The unidentified person was gone by the time Dr. Degamo was arrested.

Llanes said they learned from drug surrenderers that the doctor orders some people to buy drugs from him. Dr. Degamo refused to comment when asked by reporters.

Cordova police precinct desk officer PO3 Vilma Degamo said the doctor’s wife was shocked to learn about his predicament when she visited him.

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