PDEA defends arrest of village chair's son for drug peddling
CEBU CITY – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Central Visayas (PDEA-7) defended the arrest of a son of barangay captain in a buy-bust operation here on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Leia Alcantara, information officer of PDEA-7, said the arrest of the son of Barangay Carreta Captain Marciano Ando was a result of a legitimate operation.
Alcantara said Ando’s son was listed by PDEA-7 and the Philippine National Police as a high-value individual.
As a regional target-listed drug personality, Ando’s 42-year-old son could be involved in big-time illegal drug operations.
Alcantara said the suspect was under a month-long case buildup before he was arrested past 2 p.m. in Barangay Tejero.
Five packs of suspected shabu worth P1.7 million were recovered from the suspect.
“There was resistance. We have a video showing some commotion. He reacted but we were able to successfully subdue and arrest him,” Alcantara said.
Based on monitoring, the suspect’s patrons came from various areas in Cebu City, Alcantara said. The suspect was allegedly capable of selling 100 grams of shabu a week.
Alcantara said the PDEA-7 will be looking into the possible liability of Ando for his son’s involvement in illegal drug activities. Ando alleged that no buy-bust operation occurred before his son was arrested.
Interviewed by radio station dyHP, Ando said his son went to the barangay hall to ask for P300 so could bring the government-owned garbage truck to a vulcanizing shop.
Ando said law enforcers arrived and took his son.
The village official alleged that his son was brought to an area where illegal drugs have been pre-positioned.
Ando denied that his son was involved in selling illegal drugs.
He said his son was employed by the barangay as a garbage truck driver and also sidelined as ‘’habal-habal’’ driver.
Ando admitted that his son was arrested during a checkpoint in Mandaue City in 2022.
He said his son was driving a habal-habal at the time and it turned out that his passenger was a drug personality. Ando added that his son’s latest arrest has something to do with politics.