AFTER posting bail for robbery in October last year, a suspected leader of a rob group in Bacolod City was again arrested for illegal possession of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia on Tuesday.
Collared was Johnnie Villarete III, 31, of Purok Riverside, Barangay Bata.
He was previously arrested by operatives of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Bacolod at Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. port three months ago after serving him an arrest warrant for robbery issued by Judge Edgar Tupas of Regional Trial Court Branch 46.
He was able to post bail of P100,000 a few hours after his apprehension.
On Tuesday, the Police Station 2 led by Chief Inspector Benedicto Villarias Jr. served an arrest warrant to Villarete for violation of Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, during an operation at Bangga Adams, Barangay Bata around 7 a.m.
Villarias said Villarete was drinking coffee when they sighted him. He was brought to Police Station 2.
Joint operatives of Central Intelligence Unit of Bacolod City Police Office led by Superintendent Nasruddin Tayuan and Bacolod City Mobile Force Company and Police Station 4 led by Chief Inspector Ritchie Gohee also served Villarete an arrest warrant for violation of Section 12 (possession of drug paraphernalia) of RA 9165 issued by Judge Rosario Ester Orda-Caise of Regional Trial Court Branch 48.
The court has set a bail of P200,000 and P40,000 for his provisional liberty, respectively.
The arrest warrants came after police recovered from his house suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) when he was arrested last August 18, together with his companions Alvin Jimenez, 25, and Paul Martin Duque, 22.
The three were arrested in a hot pursuit operation in Barangay Bata, after they were involved in a robbery incident in Silay City and series of robbery incidents in Bacolod.
They were released from detention due to the failure of complainants to cooperate in the filing of case within the reglementary period.
Jimenez was again arrested last December 20 at Barangay Sag-ang, La Castellana town for robbery with a bail of P100,000.
Also, Villarete was among the two suspects identified by a taxi driver, who robbed him along C.L. Motelibano Avenue, Barangay Villamonte in Bacolod a few weeks ago.
The suspects carted away the victim’s collection amounting to P3,000 and his car, which they used as getaway vehicle.
Lape was unharmed. His vehicle was later recovered at Eroreco Subdivision.
Police filed a robbery case against Villarete and his unidentified companion, but the taxi driver failed to file carnapping charges against them.