COP, EX-BRGY. DAD FALL IN DAWN RAID

Aside from the P500T worth of shabu and marijuana, joint team from PPSC and PIB also confiscated assorted guns, grenade

Frederick Go had served as councilor of Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City; his father was also a councilor of the same barangay 2 others were arrested with Go and SPO1 Cielo Bonite, a policeman who lives in Cebu City but is assigned in Dumaguete City

Police arrested a former village official, an active police officer and two other men in a raid in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City, Cebu yesterday dawn.

The target of the operation was Frederick Go, who had served as a councilman of Barangay Bulacao, Talisay. He is the son of former Talisay City councilor Emil Go, according to Tabunok Barangay Captain Samuel Bacaltos.

Arrested with Go were SPO1 Cielo Bonite, Arnold Leceña and Jaime dela Cerna. Bonite is a resident of Guadalupe, Cebu City and is currently assigned in Dumaguete City Police Station.

Police received reports that Go’s group has been engaged in drug trafficking operations, but the suspects denied it.

Go, a businessman who sells hollow blocks, was arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl in 2013, but it was not clear yesterday what happened to the case.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Eric Noble said Bonite faces the danger of being dismissed from the service if he is proven guilty of conniving with an alleged drug personality.

Seized from the suspects were 45 grams of white crystals worth more than P500,000 and dried marijuana leaves.

Also seized were KG9 submachine gun, .45 pistol, .22 magnum revolver and a grenade.

Bonite’s service 9mm pistol was confiscated.

Go admitted to Superbalita Cebu owning the submachine gun, but he disowned the .45 pistol, saying his friend brought it to him for repair.

He also owned up the illegal drugs, but he said that he bought the packs of suspected shabu for his personal consumption, not for drug trafficking.

For his part, Bonite said he was in the house because he gave the prize to Go, after the latter’s fighting cock won from a derby in Talisay. The police officer was accompanied by Leceña, a cockfight barker who went to the house to sniff shabu.

Bonite said he is a relative of Go, and he often served as a cockfight barker for the latter in the past. He said that he heard of Go’s alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade, but he did not confront him.

Dela Cerna owned up a pack of shabu and the dried marijuana leaves.

Possession of more than 50 grams of shabu under Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) is a non-bailable offense.

Supt. Mario Baquiran, PPSC chief, said Go is a high-value target, and that police have been monitoring the suspect for several months.

The raid conducted by a joint team of Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) and Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) was authorized by a search warrant issued by Danao City Regional Trial Court Judge Jerry Dicdican.

Dela Cerna owns the house, but he rented it out to Go.

Baquiran said they confirmed Go’s operations of illegal drugs, after months of surveillance.

Complaints for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed against Go and the other suspects.

Go will also be charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. /