Lacson: San Carlos City drug cartel allegations are ‘re-hashed’

In response to being named in a complaint regarding a suspected drug cartel operating out of San Carlos City, Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the allegations are “re-hashed.”

“There is no more mention of me being a user, it's now me as a protector,” he said. “There is unnecessary time and attention that I have to give to that.”

Last week, Alfredo Hulleza, Cipriano Jimez, Cheryl Virtucio Alburo, and Prudencio Barrangan Mahilum named the vice governor in a complaint before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that claimed a suspected San Carlos City drug cartel was supplying illegal drugs to the province.

Lacson added, the affidavits filed against him are the same, albeit made by four separate personalities.

Aside from Lacson, Marton Cui, suspected drug lord Peter Lim, Ildefonso Virtucio, Jr., Marcial Garingo, along with an undisclosed government official were also named in the complaint.

The affidavits, which were forwarded to the NBI Task Force Anti-Illegal Drugs Unit, claimed drugs, allegedly supplied by Lim, were being transported from Cebu; while drugs were also reportedly supplied by Virtucio, who is presently incarcerated at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

They identified Cui as a drug lord operating in Negros Occidental, who is in connivance with Lim and Virtucio; while the government officials were allegedly protecting the cartel.

The complainants also claimed the cartel is active in protecting illegal gambling and accused Cui of providing food, medicine, and weapons to the New People’s Army.

Earlier, Hulleza revealed around 50 kilograms of shabu enters the San Carlos City port every month, which is then transported by Virtucio to a warehouse located in Barangay San Isidro, Calatrava. Drug dealers from across the province subsequently visit the facility to pick up their supply.