Digal: Barcenas' brother a "noted drug lord"

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Erson Digal admitted that the younger brother of Carcar City Vice Mayor Patricio Barcenas was a noted drug lord in the city.

Vice Mayor Barcenas, in an interview with The FREEMAN, said he was the one who informed the police about his brother’s whereabouts. He also said that he knows about his brother being in the illegal drugs watchlist and that he tried to persuade him to stop his illegal activities.

Since his brother refused to heed his advice, the vice mayor talked to their family about the need to turn him over to authorities.

According to the vice mayor, it was a family decision.

Digal said that suspect Aquillo “Aki” Barcenas was a supplier of illegal drugs in Carcar, Barili, Moalboal until Boljoon and Argao.

Aquillo was also included Carcar’s watchlist on illegal drugs and was being monitored by the Carcar police personnel.

Aquillo was arrested by the Carcar police after he was sighted at the vicinity of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Friday evening.

His arrest was done by virtue of warrants issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC).

The first arrest warrant was issued by RTC Judge Macaundas Hadji Rasul of Branch 8 for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002. The second was issued by Judge Estela Alma Singco of Branch 12 for illegal possession of firearm and violation of the election gun ban.

According to Carcar Police Chief Inspector Ali Baron, the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group (RAIDSOTG) 7 tried to arrest him but Aquillo eluded the police during the buy-bust operation last April wherein his live-in partner, Jewelyn Rentoma, was arrested.

Baron said a copy of the warrant of arrest was furnished to their office in case they have an update on his whereabouts.

“Dili jud unta ni amo ang operation but kami na nuon ang nakadakop kay timing man nga na-sighted siya sa among personnel,” he told The Freeman.

Aquillo was arrested when he arrived on board a motorcycle with two friends in the BJMP near the police station. It was learned that Aquillo went to visit his live-in partner who was detained at the BJMP.

He is now detained at the Carcar police stockade and will be taken today to the Regional Trial Court.

According to Digal, no one is above the law.

“Whatever his position in the society, as long as naay pending warrant we need to arrest him. Nakuhaan na ko’g tunok aning dapita,” he said. (FREEMAN)