Radio station assistant arrested after swallowing sachet of shabu
MANILA, Philippines (Corrected 7:11 p.m., May 6) — Authorities on Monday apprehended a production assistant for radio dzBB after the latter was suspected of swallowing a sachet of shabu at a quarantine checkpoint in Barangay Loyola Heights, Quezon City.
According to a statement by Quezon City Police District issued on Tuesday morning, Baron Giovani Belison, identified in the report as a field production assistant of GMA 7 News and Public Affairs, was seen arguing with another motorist along Aurora Boulevard, prompting police to approach the two vehicles.
According to a tweet by dzBB Super Radyo, Belison denied that the drugs were his, despite admitting his former history of narcotics use.
The radio station was also careful to point out that Belison was not its direct employee, instead belonging to a "third-party supplier."
UPDATE: Pero matagal na umano siyang tumigil simula ng maging driver sa third party supplier ng @dzbb.
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) May 4, 2020
Si Baron Bellison ay hindi empleyado ng @dzbb kundi ng third party supplier ng kumpanya. pic.twitter.com/zyUsicAdpD
In a separate statement by SCRIPT, the third party supplier mentioned by dzBB, the company said it would be imposing a random drug test in its pool of drivers and will be imposing administrative sanctions against those found to be positive.
"If found guilty, the company will let him face the full force of the law," their statement said.
However, Belison reportedly attempted to drive away in a Nissan Frontier plastered with the mark of GMA and DZBB and was then blocked by police personnel.
"Belison was initially asked for his driver’s license when police saw two (2) transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu from his possession. The suspect swallowed one of the two (2) sachets in an apparent attempt to conceal the items but one of the policemen was able to seize the other sachet which contained around 0.2 grams of suspected shabu," the statement read.
Cases of reckless driving and violation of Art. 2 Sec 11 of Republic Act No. 9165—or the article of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which penalizes possession of dangerous drugs—will be referred for inquest against Belison at the City Prosecutor’s Office, the statement said.
Police Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo, QCPD director, said in an earlier statement that anti-drug and anti-criminality operations would continue amid the enhanced community quarantine.
The past month's cases involving police elements include the shooting of a former soldier who had previously had his back turned and his arms raised and the attempted arrest of a man in his own home.
(Editor's note: This article has been corrected to reflect that the suspect is not a direct employee of GMA Network or of radio dzBB. )
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