Alcala nephews nabbed for drugs

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – Authorities arrested two nephews of former agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala and four of their companions in a drug sting in Sariaya, Quezon before dawn yesterday.

Senior Supt. Antonio Yarra, Quezon police director, identified those arrested as Sahjid Alcala, alias Magilas, and his younger brother Cerolleriz Alcala, alias Red2. Both are high-value targets in the province’s watchlist of drug personalities.

Yarra said the brothers are sons of Cerilo “Athel” Alcala, a suspected drug lord in the province. Cerilo is the brother of the former agriculture secretary.

Also arrested were Joel Lambit, Noel Abutin, Dona May Abastillas and Yumiko Angela Tan. They were nabbed in a drug sting at Barangay Balubal in Sariaya town.

Sahjid’s group was collared when they sold shabu to an undercover policeman in Barangay Balubal at 1:15 a.m.

Authorities retrieved from the suspects at least 62.30 grams of shabu worth P115,255, the P6,000 in marked money, three sedans and one motorcycle used in their drug operation.

Cerilo and Shajid previously showed up at the provincial police office and denied their links to drug syndicates. Yarra said they were convinced to surrender by Quezon Rep. Vicente Alcala, a nephew of Lucena Mayor Roderick Alcala.

Yarra said authorities also arrested Cerilo’s wife Maria Fe Abutin Alcala and her daughter Toni Anne last Sept. 11 in Leveriza Subdivision in Barangay Isabang, Tayabas City.

Police confiscated from Maria Fe and her daughter 24 pieces of medium heat sealed transparent plastic sachets containing 115 grams of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu with an estimated value of P212,750.