Hilongos cops nab 8th man in drug watchlist

HILONGOS, LEYTE, Philippines  – The number eight suspect among the 13 in the drug watchlist of Mayor Jose Emery Roble was captured the other day by police operatives of this town.

The suspect, identified as William Malbas, 32, a resident of the town’s Poblacion, was arrested near a computer school in Barangay Atabay of this town.

Chief Insp. Ramil Ngujo Amodia, chief of the Hilongos Police, said the arrest came after a lechon and fried chicken food outlet operator, Arlene Naul, complained to the police last Tuesday about the thief of her 32 dressed chickens.

The outlet’s worker Marnel Lopez positively identified Malbas as the one who allegedly carted away the chickens, but was initially afraid to tell his employer about it.

The following day, a police team—consisting of SPO2 Mark Velmonte, PO3s Elmer Castillon, Valentino Villafañe, Bernabe Projo and Glen Galvez—was dispatched to accompany Naul to the area where Malbas was reportedly seen.

“Knowing Malbas as a toughie in the area, I instructed my men to be in plainclothes to avoid attracting extra attention from the public that may warn the suspect,” Amodia said, adding that the police has been monitoring Malbas earlier for drug-related crimes.

Upon his arrest, Malbas yielded three dressed chickens, three small sachets of suspected shabu, one big sachet of suspected marijuana and P370 cash.

Malbas was then brought by the arresting team to the Barangay Hall for inventory of confiscated items and later to the police station for documentation.

Malbas, who was a constant companion of the 7th man in the drug list, Ricardo Naul, who was arrested last December 29, has four pending cases in the towns of Hindang, Matalom and Hilongos, ranging from thief to grave threats. (FREEMAN)