Brother of Jaguar’s right-hand arrested

CEBU, Philippines - The brother of the man considered to be the right-hand of slain drug lord Jeffrey "Jaguar" Diaz was arrested by police inside a compound in Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City late Saturday afternoon.

Rodrigo Cabalona Delfin, 44, was apprehended through a buy-bust operation in the barangay's Helado Compound in Sitio Pundok Gami at 5:35 p.m. Saturday.

Rodrigo’s brother, Joselito Delfin Arellano, who was the alleged the most valued trustee of Diaz and served as the drug lord’s driver and escort, was arrested by police December 15 last year.

Seized from Rodrigo, a street-level pusher,  were two large pack, a medium-sized pack and a small sachet of suspected shabu weighing a total of 55.04 grams worth P649,742 and P600 worth of proceeds from his alleged illegal activity.

Chief Inspector Christopher Navida, head of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) - City Intelligence Branch and City Drug Enforcement Unit, said the arrest of Rodrigo is part of their intensified operation against illegal activities under Oplan Double Barrel: Reloaded.

Navida said they had been conducting surveillance on Rodrigo's illegal activities for one month before the buy-bust operation.

Rodrigo never surrendered to authorities despite Operation Tokhang, Navida adds.

Rodrigo is detained in the holding cell of CCPO, and a complaint for violations against Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed today. (FREEMAN)