Friday, June 15, 2007 Justify release of drug suspects, Cadiz cop chief told
CADIZ City Police Office chief Jefferson Descallar is now in “hot water” situation after he released two drug suspects Tuesday.
Descallar will be investigated and I already told him to submit immediately a written explanation regarding his action, said Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) director Rosendo Franco.
“We will investigate and hear his (Descallar) side first before we make necessary recommendation on his actions of releasing Ricardo Capayado and Renante Alladi,” Franco said.
Capayado and Alladi were arrested in a drug-bust operation led by Descallar himself in the Capayado’s residence in Purok San Pedro, Barangay Zone 4, Cadiz on June 1.
Seized from the two were four big sachets of suspected shabu and 43 elongated plastic sachets also containing suspected shabu which approximately amounting to P40,900.
Also recovered from the house of Cayapado were 18 unsealed plastic sachets and a black cylindrical casing that were both containing residue of suspected shabu, three cellular phones, cash of P5,926, and numerous illegal drug paraphernalia.
They were detained and were supposed to be charged on the same day for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.
Unfortunately, the filing of the charges was postponed because Cadiz City Prosecutor Marcelo del Pilar was sick at the time.
Del Pilar, according to Descallar, told him to just release the suspects while he’s not yet available to receive the complaint and conduct and inquest proceedings.
On June 5 or after four days of detention, Descallar was left with no choice but to release the suspects else he said, “I will also be charged of arbitrary detention.”
It was only on June 8 when del Pilar went back to the office so we immediately filed the charges, explained Descallar.
The suspects are now nowhere to be found.
Descallar said the incident was merely beyond his control and it was done in “good faith.”
“Our actions were made through a procedural process and the circumstances were definitely beyond our control,” Descallar added. (NCD)
