THE son of one of the three women arrested for drug possession on Sunday, March 24, denied the allegations against his mother and accused the police of planting evidence against her.
Pat, not his real name, said in an online interview with SunStar Davao on Tuesday evening, March 26, that his mother is innocent.
"My mom is a diabetic patient and she’s also suffering from hypertension. From time to time, naga-maintain na sya ug medicine and nagapa-check-up. It’s very impossible nga nagagamit akung mama because if she really does, makita unta nako ug nabadlung unta nako sya mismo. (I), myself, (am) not using it, for I’m an advocate of gender equality here in our barangay. And I don’t tolerate people using drugs, not even my mom," Pat said.
On March 24, the Drug Enforcement Team of Sta. Ana Police Station nabbed three women who are allegedly drug pushers.
Police said they recovered several sachets of suspected shabu, methamphetamine hydrochloride, in a drug bust at around 4 p.m. in Purok 5, Barangay 37-D, Quezon Boulevard, Davao City.
The three women will face charges of violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, after transparent plastic sachets of shabu with estimated street value of more or less P2,000 were found in their control.
Police said the suspects were tagged as newly identified drug personalities.
Based on the information gathered, their illegal drugs supply came from Bunawan, Davao City. This is the subject of further investigation.
Pat, however, said his mother and an aunt were just dragged by their acquaintance which resulted in their arrest.
"The worst thing is, gi-planted-dan pa jud sila kay walay nakuha sa ilaha (evidence was planted because they failed to get anything from them). And they kept on yelling and shouting to my mom and tita to admit that they’re selling drugs even if they’re not. Bag-o gud mata akong mama pagdakop nila atu, then akung tita was just sleeping sa ilang boarding house at that moment (My mom had just woken up when they arrested her and my aunt was sleeping at the boarding house)," Pat said.
His cousin, who witnessed the operation, likewise said the women were forced to admit that they were into selling drugs.
"Then nakita mismo sa 'kong cousin that one of the naka-civilian nga policeman nga nag dala-dala ug mura'g cup noodle container gikan sa ilang sakyanan, ug didtu ilang gipasangil nga ang unod atu was caught from my mom and tita (My cousin saw one of the policemen in civilian bringing a cup noodle container from their car. They claimed that the contents of that container were from my mom and aunt)," Pat said.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Director Alexander Tagum urged the family of the alleged drug suspect to take legal action to support their claim.
"[I] advise the family of the drug suspects to seek legal remedies in the proper forum, and we have lots of administrative machinery that can assist them - IAS, PLEB, Ombudsman, CHR and R7," Tagum said. (Juliet C. Revita)