PMMA cadet tries to free drug suspect in Caloocan

MANILA, Philippines - A cadet of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) is in hot water for introducing himself as a Navy official and trying to free a suspected drug pusher arrested during a buy-bust in Caloocan City Tuesday night.

Chief Inspector Jay Agcaoili, Northern Police District (NPD) anti-illegal drugs division chief, said Cadet Aries Giganto, a member of PMMA Class 2010 based in San Narciso, Zambales, committed “grave misconduct” in intervening in behalf of an arrested drug suspect.

In a letter to Rear Admiral Fidel Dinoso, PMMA Zambales president, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR, Agcaoili requested a “thorough investigation” against Giganto.

NPD anti-drug operatives, led by SPO1 Jonathan Taguba, arrested Ernesto Bautista in a buy-bust along Bisig ng Nayon street in Barangay 4, Caloocan City at around 7:15 p.m.

The suspect, who resisted arrest, yielded two sachets of shabu with an estimated street value of P20,000, Taguba said.

A few minutes after Bautista’s arrest, Giganto appeared at the police station and introduced himself as a Navy official.

“He was telling us that we will just talk over Bautista’s case but we just ignored him. He then started to shout… questioning our authority in arresting the suspect,” Taguba told The STAR.

After a heated argument, Giganto left but called the police station several times, exerting his “supposed authority” as a Navy officer to free Bautista.

Agcaoili found out Giganto is not a Navy officer as he claimed but a graduating PMMA cadet and a suitor of one of Bautista’s sisters.

Agcaoili said that Giganto is a “disgrace” to the PMMA and does not deserve a place “in the service to lead.”

Bautista was charged Wednesday before the office of Caloocan City prosecutor Isabelito Sicat with no bail recommended.           – Pete Laude