Cebuano singer clears name; wife denies he surrendered

CEBU, Philippines - Self-confessed drug users and pushers continue to march to police stations and one of those who surrendered was Pinoy Dream Academy runner-up Jay-R Siaboc, at least according to the police.

Police Officer 2 Joselito Genon of the Toledo City Police said Siaboc turned himself in last Tuesday to deny he is selling illegal drugs. He was prompted to surrender after someone went to his house in Barangay Awijao and told him his name is in the police watch list.

Siaboc reportedly admitted being a user once but stopped after he got married. He went to the police station with his wife.

"Ni-oath siya yesterday (Tuesday)," Genon said.

When they surrender, users are made to sign an agreement that they would quit the business and would not return. 

In an interview with The Freeman, however, Siaboc said he went to the police station only to clear his name and not to surrender.

His wife, also turned to Facebook to clarify her husband's decision.

"Jayr went to the police station yesterday TO CLEAR UP HIS NAME that we are not involve in any illegal drug transaction, (never in our life) NOT TO SURRENDER, he went there ALONE while i was with our daughter in school. We live in a descent way, we ar eraised well by our parents. This is just another challenge in our life, and we won't just turn our back we will fight.! God knows, and The Truth will prevail.!" reads the post of Trisha May Gepitulan Varga.

She called on the police to investigate. 

"We would be much happier if the authority will conduct an investigation, you are soo welcome our life is an open book.. Thank you to our family, all our friends and relatives who supported, defended and fight for us," she added.

At least 400 have surrendered to the Toledo Police since the start of "Oplan Tokhang". 

"So far, sa mga ni surrender, wala pa mi nadakpan nga ni engage balik og illegal drugs," Genon said.

Also on Tuesday, the Toledo Police filed formal charges against PO2 Ronjie Nadorra, a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team in Bogo City who was arrested at a drug den in Toledo last weekend.

Three others who were arrested that time are also facing charges - Niel Enriquez, 38; Richard Flores, 30; and Nandy Abella, 23; all residents of Toledo City.

Dead

As frequent as the surrenders, the death of drug suspects during police operations also continue. Yesterday, one was killed in Mandaue City.

Senior Insp. Hugo Ipong of Police Station 1 - Barangay Centro identified the suspect as Ricky Potot, 36.

Potot allegedly resisted arrest and pulled out a .38 caliber revolver, prompting one of the cops in the operation to shoot him first.

Policemen reportedly confiscated 10 small sachets of shabu from Potot and arrested his cohort Julius Ombao. Two small sachets of shabu were allegedly recovered from Ombao.

"Gi-tokhang na na siya nya wala man ni-surrender. Nya reported sa barangay nga nibalik siya'g baligya," Ipong said, adding, "Ma-klaro na gyud nga siya nalang ang namaligya."

Potot sustained wounds to his body and was brought to Mandaue City Hospital but he did not make it there alive.

Subsidy

Meanwhile, in Cebu City, Dr. Alice Utlang of the Office for Substance Abuse and Prevention said the city government is willing to subsidize the rehabilitation of 'needy' surrenderees. So far, the office has P2 million to spend for the project.

"Pahimoon mi og proposal kay kuwang pa ang P2 million tungod sa kadaghan nga ni surrender," Utlang said.

The city will pilot the project in three barangays - Buhisan (54 surrenderees), Mabolo (34 surrenderees), and Sambag 2 (15 surrenderrees).

Utlang said about 75 percent of the 103 surrenderees need to undergo in-house rehabilitation. She said these surrenderees will be assessed and screened so the city can determine who among them need immediate treatment.

There is no public rehabilitation center in Cebu City and private rehabilitation centers cost from P15,000 to 40,000 per month.

Utlang and the owner of Family and Recovery Management (FARM) Group of Facilities, a private company, met with Mayor Tomas Osmeña to discuss how to address the influx of surrenderees in the city.

The facility's owner, Jimmy Clemente, said the company charges from P15,000 to P25,000 per month for its services but it may lower cost down to P6,000 per month for those who will be recommended by COSAP.

"Kami, we are a private rehabilitation center but with the demand now, kinahanglan motabang mi as a social responsibility. Amo tapatan considering nga puno na man ang Argao and way kabutangan lain and there are many people surrendering," he said.

The firm has rehabilitation centers in Minglanilla, Mandaue, and Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City.

"Ang katong in-house, which is ngadto sa private rehabilitation, mao to ang bayaran sa syudad," she said.

Osmeña said he is willing to send representatives to other countries to study cases of influx of surrenderees. He said the city needs all the help from the private rehabilitation centers since the city is "short in that area."  — Mylen P. Manto, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo, Christell Fatima M. Tudtud, Garry B. Lao and Rowena D. Capistrano (FREEMAN)