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Saturday, October 28, 2006
Charges filed against cops in drug list
By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
DAVAO CITY -- Criminal charges were filed Friday against two policemen linked to illegal drugs after three witnesses executed affidavits against them.
Charged with the two policemen is a lawyer from the Public Attorney's Office (PAO).
The name of a higher-ranking policeman has been repeatedly mentioned in the affidavits of the three witnesses although most of the time, these were just in claims made by either the drug suspects or the two policemen.
The two policemen -- PO3 Enrique Ayao and PO2 Arnold Dechavez -- will be facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Drugs Act and obstruction of justice.
The government lawyer is accused by one of the three witnesses of direct and indirect bribery. While the other two witnesses only confirmed that they did often see the lawyer with the drug suspects.
One of the witnesses, a former civilian informer, further said that in his association with the policemen and drug cases, it became common knowledge among them that even though big-time drug lords are already involved, it's this particular lawyer who handles their cases -- pleading Section 33 of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Section 33 gives immunity to a drug suspect if he spills the bean on those higher than him.
The higher-ranking policeman mentioned several times in the three affidavits was the former superior of Ayao and Dechavez at the Heinous Crime and Investigation Section (HCIS), Inspector Jun Abude.
One of the witnesses claimed that he was arrested on August 18, 2005 by the HCIS for delivering methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) but with the assistance of lawyer Roberto Q. Cañete, he opted to avail of Section 33 of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
At that time, he said, Luis Francisco was also behind bars and it was Francisco who urged him to get the services of the government lawyer. Francisco was killed a few weeks ago at Nova Tierra Subdivision in Lanang, Davao City.
Police authorities and Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte have repeatedly said that Francisco was involved in illegal drugs.
Francisco and his wife Eulyn Tayona were arrested by the HCIS on July 23, 2004.
According to this witness, the government lawyer demanded P280,000 for his legal services and operational expenses.
The witness claimed he gave in to the lawyer's demand and paid the amount in tranches plus an additional P100,000 just when his discharge order was about to be issued.
The witness further claimed that the lawyer repeatedly asked money from him for various reasons even after his release and that he has seen the lawyer in the company of Francisco.
This same witness claimed that during his detention he was staying at the mezzanine of the HCIS office with Francisco and Tayona where Francisco was freely sending out sachets of crystalline substances through Francisco's helper, one Che-che.
Francisco then claimed that Ayao knew of his operations and that even the HCIS chief approved of it.
In the affidavit, however, the witness only mentioned seeing Ayao actually visiting Francisco while the latter was repacking the substance.
Francisco's house help executed an affidavit admitting that she was often ordered to deliver illegal drugs to his clients while Francisco was in detention at the HCIS.
She said she was delivering drugs to Francisco's clients almost every night during his detention at the mezzanine floor of the HCIS.
On several occasions too, she said, she was asked to withdraw big amounts from the bank, which she distributes to policemen, the government lawyer, and other clients, in accordance with Francisco's orders. She also said that she saw Francisco give the lawyer a black-colored pistol.
In another affidavit, a former civilian informer of the HCIS claimed that Ayao has been receiving money from the so-called "drug lord" of Trading-Boulevard.
He also claimed that Dechavez even made him deliver shabu in exchange for some money. Most of these deliveries were to one Jimmy Abod of Barangay 76-A and that he was receiving amounts ranging from P11,000 to P27,000 that he handed over to Dechavez.
This civilian informer also said he knew of Che-che, Francisco's house help, who was often escorted by Ayao and Dechavez to the HCIS to deliver Francisco's stocks of shabu.
Ayao is now restricted to the Davao City Police Office. Dechavez escaped from the police office last October 26 and has not been seen since. The lawyer of the Public Attorney's Office is on leave. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(October 28, 2006 issue)
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