Siblings nabbed in drug bust

A brother-and-sister team of neighborhood drug pushers and a companion were arrested and later slapped with additional charges after bribing police officers the other day in Navotas.

Superintendent Genesis Tolejano, Navotas police chief, identified the suspects as Carmencita Mandap, her younger brother Ian, both residents of Interior Anthurium street and Olibert Nucido of Champaca street in North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS), Navotas.

Tolejano claimed the siblings were sources of shabu in the Agora area in Barangay North Bay Boulevard South.

Nucido was booked for being present in the area during a buy-bust operation.

Carmencita was charged before the Prosecutor’s Office with violating Article 2 of RA 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and Article 21 (corruption of public officials) of the Revised Penal Code. The charges are both non-bailable.

The younger Mandap was charged with illegal possession of illegal drugs. Bail of P200,000 was recommended.

Nucido was booked for visiting a den, where illegal drugs were found and was likewise slapped a bail of P200,000.

Tolejano said in a report that on April 3, 2006, when the case referral was about to be signed by Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) chief Senior Inspector Bernabe Irinco Jr., Carmencita, while inside his office, approached Irinco and tried to plead her case.

While vehemently denying the accusations against her, Carmencita allegedly offered to bribe the officer an undetermined amount.

Irinco said he denied the offer, but Mandap was persistent and suddenly pulled out a wad of bills in P1,000 and P500 denominations from her pocket and put it on top of the officer’s table.

At this point, Irinco arrested Mandap and brought her to the investigation room where the bribe money, which amounted to P20,000, was counted before them. – Jerry Botial