Ex-BIN nabbed for drugs

CEBU, Philippines - A former member of the Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) was nabbed during a buy-bust operation conducted by operatives of the Provincial Intelligence Branch in Barangay Bungtod, Bogo City while another suspect was able to elude arrest in a separate operation in Barangay Gairan on Saturday afternoon.

In the first operation, Carlito “Junior Boang” Bondesto Jr. was arrested outside his residence about 12:15 in the afternoon.

Confiscated from him were six small packets, a medium and a large pack of shabu worth P40,000, a P500 bill and a BIN identification card.

Police Officer 3 Reynaldo Solante, leader of the arresting team, told The FREEMAN that complaints on Bondesto’s alleged illegal drug activities reached their office prompting them to conduct surveillance operations that turned out to be positive.

Police tagged Bondesto as a level two drug pusher. He is the father of Barangay Bungtod councilwoman Jocelyn de la Cruz whose husband is a policeman assigned at the Bogo Police Station.

But PO2 Gerry de la Cruz, the suspect’s son-in-law said Bondesto has been turning down several advises.

“Dili man ko ganahan mutagad ana niya ug muadto na’s balay magpangutana man gani na kung naa ba ko,” de la Cruz said on a phone interview.

Based on their informant, Solante said that another daughter of Bondesto was nabbed by police at the Bogo port for possessing shabu when she was about to board a vessel for Masbate province.

Bondesto is now temporarily detained at the Liloan Police Station stockade and a violation for Section 5 of RA 9165 will be filed at the Regional Trial Court in Bogo City.

Meanwhile, a separate operation in Barangay Gairan on Saturday afternoon led to the arrest of three suspects inside the house of one of their cohorts at around 12:45 in the afternoon.

Police arrested Ronnie Alvarez Nonong, Rex David Lepasana and Elisser Comahig Aballe while a certain Jason was able to elude arrest along with Alvin Ruiz who also owns the house.

Confiscated from the suspects were eight small packets of shabu, two packs of dried marijuana leaves, four marijuana sticks, a caliber .38 revolver loaded with four bullets, a Suzuki Raider motorcycle bearing 1215IP, a pocket-sized notebook and several drug paraphernalia.

Solante said that Jason who was the subject of the operation and who made the transaction, escaped when he noticed the presence of the police. Aside from Jason, police also failed to capture Ruiz, the owner of the house which also allegedly served as a drug den.

The police will be filing charges for violation of Sections 11, 12, and 15 of RA 9165 against the five suspects. The three men arrested are detained at the Liloan police stockade.

Charges will be filed as soon as the result of the chemical analysis from the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory in Camp Sotero Cabahug will be released. — (FREEMAN)