Drug trail in Naga, Cebu

MONEY transfer receipts and cell phone messages and calls will unlock the key to the drug connections of the police couple who were taken down in the City of Naga, Cebu.

The 19 medals between Dave Sendiong Agcol, 41, and his wife PO3 Maria Genevieve Villarino Agcol, 34, lost their value when police took them down for selling drugs.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, the deputy regional director for operations of Police Regional Office (PRO) 7-Regional Special Operations Group (Rsog), said the Agcols’ names surfaced in the intelligence reports.

“Both of them are involved in illegal drugs. It is like a family business,” Lawas said.

Dave died during the police operation last August 3. He had received four medals for his accomplishments from 2005 to 2007. In 2009 with the rank of Police Officer 2, he was kicked out of the service.

PO3 Maria Agcol, was awarded 15 medals and two commendations from 2009 to May 13, 2015.

Last Wednesday afternoon, Dave was killed after he was by shot by an Rsog operative in his house in Barangay Inayagan, City of Naga after he allegedly attempted to open fire at them using his two pistols.

‘Not involved’

Maria was arrested.

Maria told reporters yesterday that she had no idea what her husband did because she was at work in the police station.

Three pistols, magazines, bullets, three cellphones, two big and 12 small packs of shabu worth P613,000 were seized from the Agcols’ residence, a stone’s throw from the Inayagan barangay hall.

Lawas said the operation was part of the internal cleansing that the Philippine National Police is now implementing to get rid of scalawags.

Investigators will also look into reports that Maria is involved with drug personalities, as the City of Naga Police Station monitors two other police officers for their alleged involvement in illegal drug activities.

Last Wednesday’s operation was authorized by a search warrant issued by Danao City Regional Trial Court Branch 25 Judge Jerry Dicdican.

Maria Agcol said she was surprised why she was dragged into the drug trade.

Maria, a member of Naga City Police Station-Women and Children’s Protection Desk, said the barangay captain can vouch for her and her husband that they have never been involved in drugs.

Trail

Money transfer receipts were also seized from the Agcols’ house.

Police said these may help lead them to other police and persons likewise engaged in the illegal drug trade.

The names reflected in the receipts will be investigated and cell phones will be subjected to examination.

Background

From Surigao City, Dave entered the police force in 2003, but was declared absent without official leave in 2008 after he tested positive for illegal drug use. He was dismissed from the service in 2009. He was last assigned to the Aloguinsan Police Station.

Maria was admitted to the police force in 2008, three years after she married Dave.

Last Wednesday, when Dave reportedly noticed that operatives were raiding his compound, he locked the door.

The Rsog team hammered the door with a battering ram. After destroying it, one of the operatives shot Dave, who was already aiming his two .45 pistols at them.

Dave, who got hit in the chest, was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Children

His two children, an 11-year-old boy and five-year-old girl and other relatives were not hurt during the incident.

The boy said he was sleeping when the raid took place but was awakened by the sound of gunfire.

Lawas said Maria, who is now detained at the RSOG 7 headquarters at the PRO 7, will face criminal and administrative complaints.

“We have a very strong case,” he said.

‘Validating’

Following the arrest of Maria, the police chief of the City of Naga, Supt. John Clark, said they’re monitoring two other policemen after receiving text messages from concerned citizens about their alleged involvement with a major drug personality based in Naga.

He said they are still validating the information.

He also denied that he and his operatives never knew of Maria’s drug connections.

Clark said they were validating the couple’s involvement in illegal drugs when RSOG 7 operatives launched their operation.

He said he received information that Maria had connections with a high-profile drug suspect based in the city. When they checked, they found this to be untrue.

During their surprise drug test last month, Maria tested negative of illegal drug use.

Clark said that while she was working under him, Maria was known for her hard work and dedication to her duties.

Even though he received information about her alleged connections, Clark said he was not privy to the activities of her husband.

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