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Wednesday, June 25, 2003
2 more charges await suspect in drug traffic
By Minerva B. Gerodias
ASIDE from drug pushing, alleged big-time drug peddler Roberto “Obet” Hegremosa will be facing two other charges, drug abuse and possession of paraphernalia.
His two companions, Bimbo Yap and Moses Reyes (not Torres as earlier reported) will face similar charges, after they tested positive of drugs.
Yap will face an additional case for allegedly harboring a wanted person, Hegremosa.
The three posted P20,000 bail for drug use. But Hegremosa was not released as drug pushing is non-bailable under Republic Act 9165, the new anti-drugs law.
Hegremosa also has a standing arrest warrant for drugs, with no bail recommended, issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Marilyn Yap of Mandaue City.
The warrant stemmed from the raid conducted by CIDG 7 operatives in Hegremosa’s house last year. He eluded arrest then.
Hegremosa, the target of the National Bureau of Investigation 7 operation that went wrong last Dec. 13, was arrested last Sunday night for allegedly selling 50 grams shabu to a poseur-buyer.
After he was turned over to the court for the return of the arrest warrant, Hegremosa was committed to the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC) yesterday.
In an interview, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau (CIIB) 7 Chief Rodolfo Albotra said they will also file a separate complaint against Yap for allegedly harboring Hegremosa being a wanted person.
But Yap, in a brief interview, claimed that he had no idea that Hegremosa was a wanted man.
He said Hegremosa, who introduced himself as George, rented one of the rooms of his house in St. Michael’s Village in Banilad, Cebu City at P2,500 a month. The drug suspect reportedly stayed for one month.
Both Yap and Reyes also denied they were caught sniffing drugs, saying they were only sleeping when lawmen arrived. The police woke them up and arrested them, they said.
They also said Hegremosa was sleeping in his room when police operatives came.
Hegremosa denied he owned the 53.84 grams of shabu that was seized during the operation. He said he is no longer in the illegal drug trade.
Hegremosa’s name hogged the limelight following the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7’s bungled operation in Mandaue City last Dec. 13.
NBI 7 agents and civilian assets fired at the van carrying six Plantation Bay workers who came from a party, thinking that it was Hegremosa’s service vehicle.
The NBI 7 was acting on the information given to them by arrested drug peddler Emmylou Gemino, who identified Hegremosa as her drug supplier.
Hegremosa said he was in Barili town during the NBI 7 operation.
(June 25, 2003 issue)
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