Dalaguete brgy councilman, brother elude arrest for drugs

CEBU, Philippines - A barangay councilman and his brother eluded arrest while their suspected henchmen were arrested when the police served a search warrant at the siblings’ rented house past 9 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Poblacion, Dalaguete town.

Barangay Balod councilman Jenemar “Ticol” Heredia and his brother Janine “Ongga” Heredia, both suspected level three drug pushers who can dispose of at least P2.3 million worth of shabu a week, reportedly noticed the presence of the police and fled away.

However, their suspected cohorts, Jimmy Dale Legaspi and Vicente Belia, were arrested after they were cornered by the police inside the house.

In a telephone interview, Senior Inspector Dexter Basirgo said they immediately served the search warrant issued by Judge Maximo Perez, of RTC Branch 26 in Argao, Cebu.

Basirgo said that past 9 p.m. on Tuesday, when they were near the brothers’ rented house in Sitio Labangon, the Heredias noticed the police officers and escaped through the back door.

However, Legaspi and Belia were cornered inside the house and were arrested with small packs of suspected shabu in their possession.

The police recovered five small packs of suspected shabu from Legaspi and four small packs from Belia.

Also recovered from the house were at least two medium packs of suspected shabu each weighing at least five grams worth P118,000; a unit sealer; drug paraphernalia; P820 cash; and two money forwarding receipts worth P50,000 each.

Although the Heredias eluded arrest, they will still face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Basirgo said the Department of Interior and Local Government-7 will be furnished with the report for their actions against the barangay councilman.

Liloan operation

Meanwhile, a suspected lady drug pusher was arrested by Liloan police in a buy-bust operation on Tuesday afternoon in Barangay Catarman, Liloan town.

Police recovered at least P100,000 worth of suspected shabu from Sarah Mae Lofranco, 27, but her live-in partner, Richard Rivera, fled away. Alfonso Tagalog, who was in the area, was also arrested by the police.

A poseur-buyer bought a pack of shabu from Lofranco and when the transaction took place, the suspect was arrested but her live-in partner immediately escaped.

The police recovered 329 small packs of suspected shabu from Lofranco, 54 small packs from Rivera, who also yielded a caliber .45 pistol.

On the other hand, Danao City police arrested at least 15 people in a drug den after they received a report of illegal gambling in Barangay Looc, Danao City on Tuesday afternoon.

Chief Inspector Fructoso Lim, Danao City Police Station chief, said they initially received a call about the illegal gambling activities in the area but when they got there, they saw a group of people sniffing shabu. — (FREEMAN)