Family denies cop was involved in drugs

It was the first time that Senior Insp. Raymond Hortezuela brought balloons for his 13-yearold daughter, who will be celebrating her birthday on June 15.

“He also brought bam-i aside from the balloons. Instead of celebrating her birthday party this Friday, he arrived last night inside a coffin and we’re in mourning,” said his father, 55-year-old Wilfredo.

Wilfredo said that Raymond loved his daughter very much.

That’s why he and his wife Gina, 51, thought it unfair that their son’s family would not receive any benefits after his death.

“He served the (police) organization for 12 years,” Gina said.

Wilfredo said that they have yet to look for money to give their son a decent burial.

“He was a senior inspector. He needs a proper resting place that is worthy of his rank,” he said.

The family is demanding justice for Raymond’s death, saying he couldn’t possibly have fought back in a shootout.

In a Balitang Bisdak interview, Maricel, Raymond’s widow, denied that her husband was involved in illegal drugs.

“If he really was involved in that, then we should have been rich. We should have been living in a mansion,” she said.

The police official and his family live in his parents’ house in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City.

Raymond was set to report back to work at the Sibulan Police Station in Negros Oriental and had bought a boat ticket, Maricel said.

Raymond joined the Philippine National Police as a police non-commissioned officer (PNCO) with the rank of police officer 1 in 2006.

In 2012, he took a lateral entry examination for a police commissioned officer rank of inspector, and passed.

Police Regional Office 7 Director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas said that Raymond’s involvement in illegal drug activities started when he was still a PNCO.

When he was assigned at the Guadalupe Police Station in Cebu City, he allegedly negotiated with drug pushers he arrested to downgrade their cases.

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Joel Doria told SunStar Cebu said that the recommendation to monitor the police official came from their office after reports reached them that Raymond used illegal drugs.

“In our organization’s internal cleansing program, even mere allegations should be acted upon. There were reports from arrested drug pushers who would drop his name but they were not willing to testify in court and they could be doing it to fabricate the case,” Doria said.

Last May 10, the city director called for a meeting with chiefs of police and other officials for managing police operations.

Raymond’s presence was also requested because after the meeting, a random drug test was conducted.

“He tested negative,” Doria said.

On May 11, Raymond’s order to be relieved from CCPO was released and he was re-assigned to the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office.

Wilfredo and Gina denied that their son was a drug user and a pusher.

“He was a good man. He didn’t talk much but I guarantee that he didn’t have any enemies and he would even scold drug users in our area,” Gina said.

The family has yet to decide when to bury the police official, saying they lack funds to give him a proper burial.

If he really was involved in that, then we should have been rich. We should have been living in a mansion. MARICEL

Hortezuela’s widow