4 brothers nabbed in anti-drugs campaign

Anti-narcotics police arrested four brothers during a buy-bust operation in Malabon City Tuesday night.

Senior Inspector Arnel Dimalanta, Malabon City police Station Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Task Group chief, identified the suspects as Ernesto Pechay, 42; Elmer Pechay, 39; Benjardi Pechay, 36; and Nilo Pechay, 33; all residents of Barangay Tanong. Dimalanta said that it was Ernesto who handed his agent a sachet of shabu while his three other brothers were arrested in the act of sniffing the illegal drug at around 6:30 p.m.

SAID-SOTG operatives, led by SPO3 Danilo Aquino, seized from the suspects at least five plastic sachets of shabu and shabu sniffing paraphernalia.

According to Dimalanta, the Pechay brothers are number two in the “Order of Battle” list of the SAID-SOTG.

“They are notorious pushers in our area. In fact, we have already arrested them twice in the past but they often bailed out of jail. Drug pushing is their family’s trade,” Dimalanta told The STAR. Dimalanta said the suspects’ alleged drug den is situated in the middle of a muddy area of Sitio Desierto in Barangay Tanong.  

He said that the police crossed some 30 meters long makeshift wooden bridge before reaching the suspects’ lair. “Two of my men fell on the murky water during the operation but we are glad for we apprehended the suspects,” Dimalanta said.

Police were to file yesterday charges against the brothers. – Pete Laude