The father of the 12-year-old boy who got arrested in a buy-bust operation carried out by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 expressed remorse for dragging his own son into the mess.
Nestor Tejas, of sitio Camanse in barangay Lorega-San Miguel, was caught dealing 50 grams of shabu to policemen acting as poseur-buyers last Wednesday. He is now facing two charges; selling illegal drugs and child abuse for using his son as a drug courier.
Tejas, a chorizo maker, admitted dealing in drugs due to financial needs since he has seven children to feed while his wife stays at home to look after them.
The police team led by Supt. Rex Derilo of the Special Operations Team of the CIDG-7 received reports that Tejas was selling illegal drugs in barangay Lorega and is utilizing his own son as his courier knowing that the Juvenile Justice Act guarantees exclusion of 15-year-old children and below from any criminal liabilities.
Tejas, in an interview, said he is sorry for using his son in the illegal drug trade.
He said he was promised a P150 commission by a certain “Loglog”, a neighbor who supplied him the drugs that were seized from him by the authorities during their arrest.
His son was immediately turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in its Labangon Center for care.
Tejas said if he’d be given the chance to talk to his son again, he would ask for his forgiveness.
During the arrest, police said it was the boy who carried the plastic container containing chicken pellets. When the poseur-buyers handed the money to Tejas, the latter reportedly ordered his son to take out the big plastic pack inside the container covered with the chickenfeed.
The boy reportedly had no idea that illegal drugs were hidden in the said container. It was Tejas who then handed that big plastic pack of shabu to SPO2 Delfin Bontuyan that resulted to their arrest. – Edwin Ian Melecio/MEEV