Carcar VM's cousin nabbed for drugs

CEBU, Philippines - A cousin of Carcar City Vice Mayor Patrick Barcenas was arrested by the Carcar City police Tuesday evening in Barangay Poblacion III, Carcar City, after several packets of shabu and drug paraphernalia were recovered inside his house.

Vice Mayor Patricio Barcenas admitted that the suspect was his cousin and is a source of headache to his parents.

“Sipat lang gyud na siya, di patuo ug badlungon sa ginikanan,(He is hard-headed and does not obey his parents.)” the vice mayor told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

He added that he could not disclose further information about the suspect because they are living now in Barangay Perrelos.

Erwin Barcenas, 45, was arrested through search warrant for RA 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 signed by Judge Soliver Peras of the Regional Trial Court Branch 10 in Cebu City.

Evidence recovered during the search were two medium packets and 15 other small packets of shabu, assorted drug paraphernalia, a .22 black Widow magnum revolver with four bullets of the same caliber, and several P5 and P10 coins placed inside a P1.5 liter soft drink bottle as well as P1,000 believed to be proceeds of the illegal drugs trade.

Pieces of evidence were submitted to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug for chemical analysis.

SPO3 Jorame Tanudtanud, investigator, said Barcenas was inside the house when police arrived giving him no time to elude arrest.

Police then informed Barcenas of the search warrant and found several pieces of evidence that resulted to his arrest.

Barcenas was under surveillance for several days after police received information of his illegal drugs trade. He is also in the watchlist of drug pushers in the police station.

Barcenas is now detained at the police stockade pending charges for Sections 11 and 12 of RA 9265 and RA 8294 or illegal possession of firearm in court.

The suspect has a pending case in relation to RA 9165 but police are yet to determine the status of his case.

To recall, the vice mayor’s younger brother was also arrested by the Carcar City police in December 2010.

Aquillo “Aki” Barcenas was an alleged supplier of illegal drugs in Carcar, Barili, Moalboal, Boljoon and Argao.

Aquillo’s arrest was by virtue of a warrant for violation of R.A. 9165 issued by RTC Judge Macaundas Hadji Rasul of Branch 8.

The vice mayor admitted that his brother was a noted drug lord in the city and the need to turn him over to the authorities was a family decision.    - THE FREEMAN