Monday, August 09, 2004 Local police clueless about drug suspect
CEBU CITY -- An official from the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 said the man arrested late last month with two big plastic packs of shabu once figured prominently in the watch list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7.
But Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID) Chief Cecil Ezra Sandalo's identification of Willy Solon came even as two local police officials said Solon is a complete stranger.
Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south) said there was no Willy Solon in the list of alleged drug peddlers that he once exposed.
The congressman, former chairman of the House committee on illegal drugs, has not come across any intelligence report that mentions Solon or the illegal drug ring that he is supposed to have worked with.
Solon, a self-confessed drug courier, was arrested last July 30 while stepping down the gangplank of a passenger vessel from Manila.
Sandalo said Solon is reportedly deeply involved in the drug trade as a supplier and courier.
He added that he had heard of Solon's name even when he was still director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
But Acting CCPO Director Melvin Gayotin told Sun.Star that had Solon not been arrested and presented by the Maritime Group (Marig) 7, he would not have heard of him.
Gayotin, however, expressed surprise over Solon's revelations that he worked for a certain Roy Archua of Padre Faura, Manila.
Gayotin said Archua could be the same person convicted of robbing the Far East Bank & Trust Co. in Mandaue City several years back.
Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau (CIIB) Chief Pablo Labra II, however, said he is still trying to verify the information.
Labra, though, believes Solon is based in Manila and cannot say if he has any records there.
He added that all he knows of Solon is that he is a Cebuano who hails from Mabolo, Cebu City.
Investigation
The PDEA is investigating the Maritime Group (Marig) 7 after Solon alleged that they took two of four kilograms of shabu from him.
Solon swore before Congressman Cuenco at least five times that the police actually seized four kilos of shabu from him.
Solon had claimed that the arresting officers brought him to two downtown inns and demanded P.5 million from his source in exchange for his freedom.
Senior Insp. Roger Mangaoan, PO3 Loreto Banilad, PO2 Henry Deluna and PO1 Napoleon Taneo all denied Solon's claims and insisted that only two kilos were taken from him.
The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9165) drafted by Cuenco states that a public officer or employee found guilty of misappropriation, misapplication or failure to account for confiscated or surrendered dangerous drugs faces life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10 million.
In addition to this, they will also be disqualified for good from any public office.
"It's really a black mark on our law enforcement agencies if it is proven that the Maritime policemen were the ones lying," Cuenco said, referring to Solon's claim that he brought four kilos of shabu, not two.
He expects PDEA to find out more about the person who was supposed to receive the shabu from Solon once he docked in Cebu.
Cuenco also said that operatives of the US Drug Enforcement Administration will be coming to Cebu City in September to brief law enforcement agencies about more effective strategies in the campaign against illegal drugs. MEA/With AIV
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