Charges await cops with links to drugs

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Police Coordinating Advisory Council won’t hesitate to initiate legal action against policemen who will be proven to have links to the illegal drugs trade.

“Verifications are being made atong i-verify how true are these allegations,” PCAC Chairman Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said yesterday.

Labella said he has asked Cebu City Police Director Noli Romana to submit an official report following the discovery of a notebook during a raid in Pasil and Ermita last week.

The notebook reportedly had the word “pulis” written beside an amount. Six people, two of whom were women, were arrested during the operation and illegal drugs estimated to worth P2 million was seized. 

Mayor Michael Rama said the city police must look for the policeman involved.

Senior Supt. Conrado Capa, Regional Police Director, said random drug tests will be conducted in police stations. 

  “They will expect us… at least they would not know what station in the city or province and when it would be,” he said.

  Just last month, Talamban Police Station chief Bienvenido Miral disclosed that a few of his policemen are protectors of drug peddlers.

Last Sunday, an alleged level 3 drug pusher was arrested in Barangay San Nicholas, Cebu City. The suspect, Webster Crystal Villegas, 34, a resident of the barangay, is reportedly in the police watch list.

Recovered from Villegas were 15 pieces of small transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.

Senior Insp. Chuck Barandog said they did not plan to arrest Villegas at that time but decided to do so after he was found allegedly negotiating with a buyer.

 “Dili pa unta to ang maong panahon sa pagdakop sa suspect kay naghuwat pa unta mi nga adunay moabot nga dinagko nga iya ibaligya apan nakit-an man siya’s kapulisan,” Barandog said.

Villegas is currently detained at the San Nicholas Police Station.  (FREEMAN)