CEBU, Philippines - An 18-year-old woman believed to have been made a sex slave by her drug-dealing father was rescued by the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group (PAIDSOTG) operatives in Moalboal town Tuesday afternoon.
The police were after Pedro “Poypoy†Abrenica because of several complaints from concerned citizens when they found the woman and her one-year-old son and at the same time brother.
The woman reportedly lived with her grandmother and just decided to go to her father to ask to be sent to college when authorities learned of her.
The police said the woman was in adolescence when Abrenica started molesting her every time he was allegedly high on drugs.
“Naglungot-lungot na gyud mi ani nga madakpan namo pagkahibawo namo ana iy ang anak nga iyang gi-unay ug ipon-ipon unya nanganak pa gyud (We were raring to catch him when we learned that he victimized and even impregnated his own daughter),†said SPO1 Reynaldo Solante, PAIDSOTG’s team leader.
He said no one in the community had dared to inform authorities over the plight of Abrenica’s daughter because the suspect allegedly threatens neighbors with a gun.
Solante said they bided their time and waited for the right timing to carry out a buy-bust operation in the house of the suspect in Sitio Kalingking, Barangay Saavedra, Moalboal.
Through a poseur buyer, the police successfully bought a small packet of shabu from Abrenica in exchange for P200 as marked money last Tuesday.
But before the police could arrest Abrenica, his companion Ruben Libato, 29, sensed their presence and pulled out a .45 pistol.
Libato started shooting, prompting the police to take cover.
“Nakapalibot nami niya (Libato) kay kung mutira pa siya patay man gyud to siya…wala na siyay nahimo ni-surrender na lang (Libato was forced to stop and surrender when he saw that he was surrounded),†Solante said.
What Libato did, though, was enough for Abrenica to escape.
The police recovered during the operation five small and one large packets of shabu, the P200 marked money, assorted drug-sniffing paraphernalia, a Colt .45 pistol with a magazine loaded with five bullets, and two empty cartridges.
The illegal drugs were submitted to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 for chemical analysis.
Solante said Abrenica is a level two drug pusher in Southern Cebu and was involved in a series of burglary incidents in Moalboal.
“Kasagaran sa iyang target mga balay sa (He targets homes of) foreigner(s) pero walay ni-blotter (but not one had the incidents recorded with the police),†Solante said.
They are set to file today complaints for violations of Sections 5, 11 and 12 of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, and RA 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
The woman and her son, on the other hand, were brought to the Provincial Social Welfare Development Office for debriefing.
Meanwhile, in Pinamungajan town, a father who was trying to pacify his two sons who were arguing during a drinking session was shot dead by one of them past 9:30 p.m. in Sitio Sta. Cruz, Barangay Sacsac the same day.
Emilio Nebres, 72, succumbed to a gunshot wound in his left leg after suspect Allan Nebres, 45, fired an improvised shotgun.
SPO1 Peter Cuanso, Pinamungajan Police Station desk officer, said Emilio was outside their house watching his two sons having a drinking session with their neighbors when an argument suddenly broke out.
Emilio tried to pacify his sons but Allan got irked and shot him instead. Emilio was taken to the Pinamungajan District Hospital but he died along the way. Allan fled on foot right after the incident.
Cuanso said relatives would be filing a criminal complaint against Allan.
Earlier, in Sitio Kamanggahan, Barangay Mantalongon, Barili town, a 28-year-old man was also shot dead by a still unidentified assailant.
Arnel Monterola was found supine and lifeless outside his house, his body littered with multiple gunshot wounds.
PO2 Mark Anthony Fat, Barili Police Station desk officer, said it was around 1 a.m. when Junlayn Esconde, Monterola’s sister, heard several gunshots, prompting her to check. She discovered her brother already lying in a pool of blood.
Fat said they are still looking at possible motives on the killing. — /RHM (FREEMAN)