2 football coaches nabbed for drug pushing

MANILA, Philippines - Two coaches from the country’s top school football teams were arrested in a drug bust in Sampaloc, Manila Thursday morning.

La Salle Greenhills (LSGH) high school coach Jhun Roy Torrenocha, 26; University of the East (UE) collegiate coach Gerald Orcullo, 30; and their companion, Clint Torres, were arrested in a house at the corner of P. Noval and España Boulevard at past 5 a.m. by undercover police officers, according to a report by Manila Police District (MPD) Station 4 chief Superintendent James Afalla.

An insider said the policemen, led by Police Officer 3 Roo Reyes, posed as buyers and arrested the three suspects right after the transaction. An undetermined amount of marijuana leaves were reportedly seized from the suspects.

UE physical education director Rodrigo Roque told The STAR that Orcullo – whose brother, Jerome, is also a coach of the school’s football team – had reportedly been absent without leave since July 2012.

LSGH coach Freddie Estacion confirmed in a telephone interview that Torrenocha is indeed the high school football team’s coach but refused to comment further.

Orcullo, Torrenocha and Torres are being held at MPD Station 4 pending their inquest on drug charges.

Torrenocha’s girlfriend, who asked that her name be withheld, said she had been looking for him since Thursday. According to Estacion, Torrenocha had told his girlfriend he had a bad headache.