Ex-Compostela mayor's son arrested

CEBU, Philippines - The son of former Compostela mayor Gilbert Wagas was caught sniffing shabu with two others in Barangay Looc, Danao City yesterday at about 9:30 a.m.

Fritz Louise Wagas, 20, was caught in the act sniffing shabu with Joseph Villarta, 30, and Edzel Labador Huntilla, 29. Like Wagas, Villarta is also from Compostela. Huntilla, meanwhile, owned the house in Looc where they were arrested.

 In a telephone interview, PO3 Bryan Batiquin said that they were conducting a follow-up investigation about a robbery case which also happened in Looc, when the robbery suspect led them to Huntilla’s house.

It was there that SPO1 Ildefonso Prosia, Batiquin, and PO1 Frederick Gomez caught the three having a shabu session. Huntilla tried to escape when the arrest was made.

Recovered from the house of Huntilla were two small transparent plastic usually used in packing shabu, and other shabu paraphernalia.

According to Batiquin, the Wagas’ family is just waiting for the filing of appropriate charges and plans to bail him out. The Freeman tried to confirm this with Compostela Mayor Ritchie Wagas but his mobile phone could not be contacted. Fritz’s father, Gilbert, is now at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa after he was convicted of malversation of funds.

Fritz and the three others are detained at the Danao City Police Station.

Yesterday afternoon, the same police team also caught two other men sniffing shabu, also in Barangay Looc.

Batiquin said that a resident of Barangay Looc called them at around 5:45 p.m. to report that a house was being robbed. Police officers immediately went to the area. Upon reaching the place, they noticed a dimly lit house with smoke coming out.

They checked the house and saw Rudy Ylanan Barsero, 26, and Junrie Monternel Siclot, 27, sniffing shabu. Barsero is unemployed, while Siclot is working as a conductor of a public utility bus. Both live in Binabag, Bogo City.

The police recovered two small plastic sachets with crystalline substance believed to be shabu, weighing 0.03 grams.

They were not able to identify the owner of the house used by the two, who are now detained at the Danao City Police Station. (FREEMAN NEWS)