Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Arrested 'pusher' to sue anti-drug agents By Ruby P. Silubrico and Jay Dooma Balnig
THE suspected "drug pusher" recently arrested in a buy-bust operation will be filing criminal charges against agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Western Visayas.
Lawyer Romeo Gerochi, counsel of Noel "White Deniros said he already asked a copy of the incident report from Jaro Police Station and study it on the possible charges to be filed against the anti-drug agents.
Gerochi said he wanted to know if the anti-drug agents violated any law during the shootout that resulted to the confinement of his client and companion who sustained gunshot wounds.
Gerochi said according to his client, he did not fire or initiate the shootout.
He observed that PDEA agents "failed to observe the proper rules of engagement," when they fired at Deniros and his companion, JJ Perez.
He said it can be shown from the multiple gunshot wounds his client sustained and the damage at Deniros' car due to gunshots. It would show that PDEA operatives were the only ones who made the shooting.
"There was no threat or danger from them (Deniros and Perez) but still they were fired in a frustrated manner," Gerochi claimed.
Gerochi said his client is filing multiple frustrated murder and administrative cases against the PDEA agents before the Regional Internal Affairs Service (Rias) for this matter.
Rias on the other hand, declared it will also initiate an investigation over the missing LG and Nokia cellular phones of Deniros and Perez that were left inside the car.
As of press time, the PDEA has not issued an official statement on Gerochi's declaration.
Deniros, his cohort, Perez and their other arrested companions Lourden Tacuyan, Grylin Celeste and Q motel room boy Mark Barbasa, were the subjects of PDEA's buy-bust operation that happened at around 7:30 a.m.
The operation led to the recovery of drugs, drug paraphernalia and a caliber .45 pistol believed to be owned by Deniros.
Police report showed that the PDEA agents, after an entrapment, ordered Deniros and his companions to come out of his car for arrest.
Deniros, with Perez allegedly refused to yield and tried to flee on board his car.
Their wounded bodies were later found inside the car that was hit with bullets.
According to PDEA Chief Roybel Sanchez, Deniros is among the top drug dealers in Western Visayas and is under the police watch list.
