Operation vs. mayor’s aids yields drugs, firearms in Leyte

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, July 30 (PNA) –- The joint operation between the local police and Regional Public Safety Batallion yielded an approximately Php1.9 million worth of suspected drugs, firearms, and five suspects in Albuera town Thursday night.

In the intensified anti-drug campaign, the local police here seized large sachets of suspected drugs weighing 238 grams having an approximate street value of Php1.9 million, two caliber .45 pistols loaded with live ammunition, cash and drug paraphernalia, said Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, Albuera town police chief and team leader.

The arrested suspects were identified as Marcelo L. Adorco, 40; Jose O. Antepuesto, 36; Jeffrey R. Pesquera, 39; Ernesto A. Dumalat, 20; and Jessie C. Ocaris, 34, all residents of Albuera town. All the five suspects claimed that they are security officers of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa.

Espenido said a surveillance of the subjects few days ago triggered the buy bust to Antepuesto at the village basketball court and resulted to the arrest of four others. The rest of the crowd managed to flee.

In a body search, the police yielded from Antepuesto a medium-sized sachet containing suspected drug, drug paraphernalia and bust money worth Php300.

Adorco and Ocaris claimed that Mayor Espinosa provided them licenses to carry firearms. The former being his bodyguard and the latter for self-defense, for which they failed to present documents. The two also yielded large sachet containing suspected drugs for which they both denied

.

The police are still on the process of securing the documents at the agency firearms division.

Espenido said, “Before we left the station, all of us prayed so no one will be hurt or killed. And I thank God for hearing my prayers, that none of the suspects prompted to open fire.”

For that, Adorco and Ocaris were glad for being captured alive.

Espenido who has been tagged as the province’s drug buster cop was installed as the town’s chief of police mid-July to curtail the drug activities in the area. He deepens his scheme in the fight against drug in the entire town where an alleged high profile drug lord dwells.

PNA still tries to reach the camp of Mayor Espinosa for his comment on the allegations inflicting his name.

Cases are prepared against the suspects at Baybay City Court. (PNA)
PGL/SQM/ELVIE ROMAN ROA/EGR