Release of shabu suspects probed

Superintendent Jose Gentiles, Mandaluyong City police chief, ordered an investigation yesterday of the mysterious release of three of eight alleged drug users arrested Saturday during a shabu session in a squatter’s area.

One of those released, Danilo Pelaez, 34, had a standing bench warrant for drug pushing, said Gentiles.

Gentiles directed Chief Inspector Jose Carlito Rayco, head of the local police District Intelligence and Investigation Division, to dig deeper into the case and file criminal and administrative charges against erring police personnel behind the mysterious release of Pelaez, Cris Matilan, 29, and Carlito Asuncion, 32.

"I will not tolerate any wrongdoing by my men," said Gentiles in an interview. "We cannot rid this city of illegal drugs if these incidents will not be stopped once and for all."

The mysterious release of Pelaez, Matilan and Asuncion was uncovered after relatives of the five remaining detained drug users complained of their continued detention.

The three released suspects and the five others identified as Arnold de Laramia, 28; Agripino Enrieuez, 40; Allan Leandro, 31; Florencio Tutaan, 48, and Gerardo Cabusog, 32, were arrested while sniffing shabu in the squatters’ area of Sultan St., at about 11:40 p.m. Saturday. Confiscated from them were drug sniffing paraphernalia and a sachet of shabu.

The arresting team leader, SPO1 Patricio Masilang, of the detective beat patrol, brought the eight drug users to the Mandaluyong City Medical Center for examination before turning them over to the local Drug Enforcement Unit.

However, only five of the suspects were charged yesterday in the city prosecutor’s office, eliciting a howl of protest from their relatives.

Rayco said a check with PO2 Roberto Bugoy, the duty officer of the SDEU when the suspects were handed over, showed no entry of the three drug-users release in their blotter and record book.

Pelaez is the subject of a bench warrant issued last Nov. 17 by Judge Edwin Sorongon, of the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court Branch 214. A bench warrant, according to Rayco is an order for the arrest of a person at any time.