Criminal charges filed vs Eastern Samar governor's nephew, 2 others

MANILA, Philippines - Criminal charges were filed before the Department of Justice yesterday against a nephew of Eastern Samar Gov. Conrado Nicart and two others who were arrested over the weekend in separate drug bust operations in San Juan City and Quezon City.

Arnold Nicart, Jackson Garlejo, and Ariel Bacolor, were presented to the DOJ for inquest for charges of violation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) after they were allegedly caught in the act of selling one kilo of cocaine.

The suspects refused to talk to reporters as they were being whisked out of the DOJ. Preliminary investigation into the charges is set to start next week.

Their lawyers said they are preparing their defense to counter the charges filed by Philippine National Police-Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Force (PNP-AIDSOTF), but hinted that they would question technicalities surrounding their arrest.

Nicart was arrested last Saturday morning after he received part of the P1 million marked money at the parking lot of Club Filipino in San Juan City during a drug bust by PNP-AIDSOTF agents.

AIDSOTF head Deputy Director General Perfecto Palad said Nicart’s arrest came hours after two of his alleged runners – Garlejo, 37, and Bacolor, 32 – were arrested in a separate drug bust conducted by AIDSOTF Special Operations Unit 2 (SOU-2) near an eatery along Timog Avenue in Quezon City.

Seized from the two was a kilo of cocaine, which they initially agreed to sell for P1 million in last Friday’s drug transaction with undercover agents.

Police also recovered a Nissan Urvan (NRO-977) and a Suzuki multi-cab pick-up (JCV-437), which they used in the drug deal.