Brgy Ermita worker faces theft charges

CEBU, Philippines - The City Prosecutor’s Office has indicted a barangay employee of Ermita for qualified theft and illegal possession of shabu after finding probable cause.

Prosecutor Simaco Labata elevated the cases to the court against John Louie Abella, a help desk office clerk of Ermita, after he chose not to file a counter-affidavit.

Abella, 22, is accused of violating Section 11 of Article II, Republic Act 9165 or the illegal possession of drugs and P30,000 for qualified theft.

Labata recommended his bail be set at P200,000.

In the joint-affidavit executed by Barangay Tanod Administrator Rolando Cabigon and Barangay Teasurer Enriqueta Cabigon, on October 13, 2011 while they were in the Barangay Hall they noticed that the collection money kept in their respective drawers --in the amount of P8,000 and P9,000-- were missing.

“After the discovery, we immediately informed our superior and co-employees where we learned from our Barangay Tanods who were on duty midnight of October 12, 2011 that they saw Abella, opening our drawers which said Tanods did not mind his action because Abella has access to enter our Office,” affidavit reads.

After the incident, Abella failed to report to the office prompting barangay tanods Martin Luther Baron, Sandy Ramas, Aslani Macapalao and Alberto Paon to try and locate him.

Barangay Tanods said they found Abella along Magallanes St. and he voluntarily turned over P545 and cellular phones he reportedly bought with the rest of the stolen money.

They also reported recovering from Abella a small pack of shabu weighing 0.04 grams during a body search.

The barangay tanods then arrested Abella and brought him to Carbon Police Station.

Meanwhile, an alleged notorious drug pusher in Bantayan Island was nabbed by the Bantayan police together with the Bantayan Traffic Office Management during a checkpoint in Barangay Suba, Bantayan, Saturday afternoon.

Charges for violating Sections 5, 11 and 12 of RA 9165 will be filed today before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against Erwin Chua, 40, of Barangay Binabao.

Chua, who was driving a motorcycle, was allegedly acting suspicious when police asked for his license, when he failed to show any the police to ask him to open the compartment of his motorcycle.

After the compartment was opened, police saw six small packets of shabu to worth P1,800 and several drug paraphernalia. Chua was also found with dried marijuana leaves.

All evidence was subjected for chemical analysis at the PNP Crime Laboratory last Sunday.

“Daghan ang paraphernalia unya ang shabu didto sa ilawom, wala pa namo kit-i ang marijuana,” Bantayan police chief Sr. Insp. Florendo Fajardo said.

When police already recovered all items and handcuffed Chua, they noticed that he was trying to reach something in the pocket of his pants. They later found he was trying to hide dried marijuana leaves.

“Ilabay unta niya pero galisod man siya og kab-ot kay naka-posas man,” police said.

Chua, who is in the drug watchlist of the Bantayan Police Station, is considered as Level 2 pusher or someone who can dispose of P100,000 worth of shabu a week.

Police said he also deals drugs to other neighboring towns and has runners there.

Fajardo also said Chua has several drug cases in Cebu City.

Last September, police tried to apply for a search warrant against Chua at the town of Sta. Fe but failed after the latter escaped and boarded a vessel towards Daanbantayan. Police only recovered his motorcycle left at the Sta. Fe wharf. – (FREEMAN)