Father, 4 sons arrested for drugs, guns

CEBU, Philippines - Police arrested a father and his four sons in Minglanilla town who were found with illegal drugs and firearms yesterday.

Placed under arrest were Rodulfo Fiel, 66, and his sons Manuel, 40, alias Jundie; Marvin, 34; Mario, 26; and son-in-law Joselito Lariosa, 24.

Chief Insp. Franco Rodulf Oriol, chief of the Minglanilla police, said it was Jundie who they identified as a Level 3 drug personality.

It was also Jundie who reportedly negotiated with a poseur-buyer and, during the buy-bust in Barangay Tungkop dawn yesterday, was the one who received the P200 cash from the buyer. He then handed the money to his brother Marvin.

However, when authorities introduced themselves, Marvin ran towards their house and it was there that the other men were arrested.

Police confiscated drug paraphernalia from Mario and Joselito and a bag with 25 small pieces of shabu and rolled marijuana from Marvin. They also seized a .357 revolver with live ammunition from Jundie and an improvised frontier revolver and 25 bullets of an M16 rifle from Rodulfo.

Oriol said they found that the men have been in the business for a long time now.

"Family business gyud ni nila gani hasta ang umagad niapil naman sa pagbaligya ug shabu," Oriol said.

Jundie, in an interview, said he is new in the illegal drugs business and poverty led him to it.

Rodulfo, for his part, said he has since warned his children about the risks of being in the business but they reportedly did not heed his warning.

"Ni-desider naman unta gani ko nga mulain ug balay kay maapil gyud ko pero unsaon man nako nga wa man koy kwarta nga ikabalhin ug puyo," he told The Freeman.

Charges will be filed against the men.

Meanwhile, in Cebu City, operatives of the Mambaling police arrested a suspected drug pusher and confiscated shabu worth at least P.5 million also during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Basak San Nicholas at past 10 p.m. on Tuesday night.

Arrested was Manuel Navarro, 43, who is among the police's Top 10 drug personalities.

Senior Inspector Regino Maramag Jr., Mambaling police chief, said they have been monitoring the suspect for almost two months.  

During the bust Tuesday, the police recovered 10 medium packs of suspected shabu valued at P590,000 and a black widow caliber 9mm pistol from Navarro.

Ermitanio

In a separate development, the suspected drug courier who was arrested on October 30 was instrumental in the confiscation of shabu worth close to P4 million from two "big-time" drug pushers in San Fernando town on Tuesday afternoon.

City Intelligence Branch chief, Supt. Romeo Santander, said it was Genes Ermitanio, 21, who identified Ruel Garces and Leonardo Gesnan.

The two were the ones who would reportedly supply Ermitanio shabu and would brief him the details of the delivery.

Santander said he met with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Provincial Police Office to plan the operation following Ermitanio's confession.

While the police seized the drugs, the two suspects eluded arrest. They are considered to be Level 1 drug pushers. — /JMO (FREEMAN)