‘Drug lord’ bro is councilman in brgy where he was arrested

CEBU, Philippines - The city intelligence branch will furnish the Department of Interior and Local Government a copy of its report on the arrest of alleged drug lord Darwin Tibay.

This after the authorities learned that Tibay is the brother of a councilman in Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City where he was arrested last Tuesday.

CIB chief, Superintendent Romeo Santander, said it is very unlikely that the councilman was unaware of his brother’s illegal activities. 

During his arrest, Darwin claimed he did not own the P70,000 worth of shabu seized from him because he had stopped selling drugs a year ago.

“Granting one year na siya niundag, pila na man ka tuig ang termino ni Ricky as konsehal? imposible wa siya kahibawo. Wa gyud siya kabadlong. Mahug nuon nga tolerating,” Santander told reporters yesterday.

Darwin is one of the top five alleged drug lords operating in Cebu City.

Santander said they will furnish DILG a copy of the accomplishment report and let the agency deal with the situation concerning Ricky.

Darwin reportedly could dispose of more than a kilo of shabu every week.

Police protection?

Meanwhile, Santander said CIB will look into Darwin’s statement that he enjoyed protection from policemen.

“Although cooperative man siya, naa siya gi-mention but it needs thorough validation. Naay Cebu City pud but other units,” he said.

The new officer-in-charge of CCPO, Mariano Batiancela, echoed Santander’s statement.

“Dili ta basta-basta makaingon ana pero if naa man gani, ang ato is we will enforce the law ni bisan kinsa, not in favor kung kinsa man gani sila ug kung kinsa nagprotekta nila,”  Batiancela said.

Darwin has eluded arrest several times in the past and even underwent a nose job and dyed his hair to look younger. The cosmetic procedure was done in Manila.

“For how many years, we never knew lain diay iyang hitsura karon compared sauna,” Santander said, warning that Darwin’s arrest is not a guarantee that a chance of physical appearance means freedom.

 Batiancela said the police are thankful to an informant who sent them a text message about Darwin’s activities, which led to his arrest.

“Nagpasalamat ta sa mga kaigsoonan nato nga wa jud sila nagpanagana sa pagtug-an dinhi nato,” he said.

Batiancela said they are trying their best to win the trust and the confidence of the community.

More arrests

Aside from Darwin, police also arrested a father of two, a Level 3 drug pusher, in Barangay Calamba, Cebu City also on Tuesday.

Ohrlievee Rama, 26, also known as “Butong”, is supposed to marry his long time partner of 10 years on May 18 until his arrest on Tuesday night.

He was arrested when he sold a poseur-buyer shabu worth P300. The operation was conducted jointly by operatives of the CIB and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 7.

Authorities seized 49 small packs of suspected shabu worth P35,000 from him.

Santander said Rama was an errand boy of a drug personality. He was placed under surveillance for two days before the operation was hatched.

Rama denied the allegations, saying he is from Minglanilla and was only invited by a friend to Barangay Calamba.

“Gi-imbitar ra ko sa akong amigo sa ilaha ba unya taud-taud mao na hitaboa. Ila na man nuon ko gidala. Wa na ko mahimo. Di to akoa,” he said.

He said about his planned wedding: “Kaslonon unta pero di na guro madayon. Pwerte nilang guola. Nahibong pud sila.”

Santander said the noticeable long sachets seized from Rama are a trademark of a drug personality.

He said every drug personality has a different way of sealing and repacking illegal drugs.

Santander said they noticed three different ways of sealing packs of shabu, so far. 

“Atong tan-awon kanang end sa pack unsaon pag-seal. Dira nato ma-link, ma-trail,” he said.

Also last Tuesday, police in Danao City arrested another drug pusher at past 4 a.m.

Rolly Alburo, 36, of Barangay Ibo, Danao City was arrested after he sold a small pack of suspected shabu worth P200 to a poseur-buyer in A. Olivar Street, Barangay Poblacion.

Police Officer 2 Nelson Pantoja said a medium sized pack of suspected shabu worth P600 and proceeds of sale were also seized from Alburo.

The suspect was under surveillance for two weeks.

Just hours after Alburo was arrested, police also arrested a 46-year-old woman in Duterte Street in Danao for drug possession.

Virginia Delavictoria was arrested after a group of cops patrolling area chanced upon her and her companions sniffing shabu. Her companions, however, managed to escape. — (FREEMAN)