Police team arrest brod of councilor in shabu deal

A YOUNGER brother of a reelectionist councilor of Talisay City, Cebu was arrested in an alleged buy-bust by operatives of the Regional Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (Raidsotg) 7.

Hermigildo Baclay Capala, alias Dodong Capala, 60, of Cansojong, Talisay City, was arrested after handing over at least 25 grams of suspected shabu to an agent who posed as a decoy.

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The transaction happened outside a cockpit in Sitio Luwan-Luwan, Poblacion, Carcar City, Cebu past 5 a.m. yesterday.

Insp. Glenn Hife, team leader of the operatives, said Hermigildo is a brother of Talisay City Councilor Aaron “Ronie” Capala, who is seeking reelection in the May polls.

Hife said according to the information that his team gathered, Hermigildo helped finance the previous election bid of his brother.

He added that it is also not a remote possibility that the arrested suspect is supporting the reelection bid of his brother in Talisay.

Hife, however, said he cannot “confirm or deny” if the drug proceeds were used by Hermigildo to get his brother elected.

Hermigildo, when sought for reaction, denied being a drug pusher. He, however, declined to comment further on the allegation.

He said he was arrested in the early 1990s for his involvement in jai alai, which is an illegal gambling-related offense, but not about illegal drugs.

“All my brother’s children are working abroad. I merely helped campaign for him,” Hermigildo said while shaking his head when asked to comment by reporters.

Hife said Hermigildo is a major player in the illegal drug trade, having been able to supply shabu in Leyte, Negros and in Talisay City.

In 2005, Hermigildo ranked number one in the order of battle of drug personalities of Raidsotg 7, Hife added.

Considering the market of Hermigildo covered other provinces in the Visayas, Hife said the arrested drug suspect can dispose of kilos of shabu in a week.

He said Raidsotg had been looking for Hermigildo for years but failed to arrest him because the latter allegedly transferred from one house to another.

Hife said Hermigildo owns several houses in the southern part of Cebu.

Until about two months ago, an asset of the task group was finally able to give specific information about Hermigildo’s whereabouts.

Derby

Hermigildo will be charged with selling shabu, a violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 (the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

Councilor Aaron, in a mobile phone interview with Sun.Star Cebu, defended his brother.

He said his brother is not engaged in any illegal activities, particularly drugs.

“Ang iya, derby, buwang gyud apan wa nag apil-apil og illegal (He’s into joining derbies but he’s not into anything illegal),” the councilor said.

He said he also did not seek assistance from Hermigildo in his election bid. He said he only relied on the financial support of his children who are working abroad.

The councilor said he suspects the evidence against his brother was planted.

“Gibutang-butangan lang na nila. Kong duna pa, ako mismo ang mobuyag niya apan di man gyud na tinuod. Nahibong ko nga nakuhaan og shabu (They planted shabu on him. If here were into the illegal drug trade, I would be the first one to ask him to stop),” he said. (JTG)