Buy-bust lands chief’s brother

THE brother of a barangay captain in Cordova town was caught during a drug bust last Friday night in Barangay Cogon, Cordova.

Stephen Ando, 34, allegedly yielded 250 grams of shabu that could have fetched anywhere from P625,000

Buy-bust lands chief’s brother to P2.9 million. The larger figure is based on estimates of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).

“Dugay na na siya nga player kay ang ubang dagkong players didto, nanghawa na. Siya na lang ang nagpabilin (He’s been a drug player for a long time and some of the big-time drug players there have already left. He’s the only one who remained),” Leah Albiar, spokesperson of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7, said.

Ando is allegedly the brother of the barangay captain of Cogon, but the agents were still questioning him further as of press time.

Before the arrest, he was placed under surveillance for one month.

Ando can allegedly dispose of 200 grams of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride per week.

Authorities confiscated 187 sachets of suspected shabu from him.

According to Albiar, Ando did not resist arrest when they went to his house at 7 p.m.

Ando said in an interview that his brother, a barangay captain, didn’t know about his illegal drug operation.

He didn’t deny the allegations he’s involved in illegal drugs but said he only repacks shabu or meth.

When asked if they would include the suspect’s brother in the investigation, Albiar said they have no evidence that that would link the captain to the drug trade.

41 packets

Three hours later, another alleged drug per- sonality was arrested in Consolacion, where almost P300,000 worth of shabu was confiscated.

Bryan “Bulawin” Pepito was caught in a buy-bust in Barangay Lamac, Consolacion and handcuffed at 10:30 p.m. Friday.

The Provincial AntiIllegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG), Cebu Provincial Police Office and the Consolacion Police conducted the operation.

Police confiscated 41 small sachets, one mediumsized and three big packs of shabu.

The whole stash weighed 24 grams and was probably worth around P283,000 in street sales, based on DDB estimates.

They will be charged with allegedly violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. JOB