Lapu-Lapu police warn barangay against making own drug arrests

Barangay officials are not allowed to conduct illegal drug buy-bust operations by themselves.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, Lapul-Lapu police chief, issued the reminder after barangay officials in Basak, Lapu-Lapu City conducted a buy-bust operation that led to the arrest of two men on Friday.

Barangay officials should first coordinate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the City Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (CAIDSOTG) before conducting operations, said Lawas otherwise it would be an unlawful activity.

Arrested in last Friday’s operation were Fraidi Amistoso, 37, and Roel Ceniza, 26.

The operation was led by Basak barangay captain Isabelito Darnayla.

The police chief said Darnayla may be liable for usurpation and grave abuse of authority.

Darnayla and his tanods went to the police and told them of their plan to stage the operation.

He was asked to turn over the information by Senior Insp. Rogelio Pineda of the CAIDSOTG-Lapu-Lapu City which would do the buy-bust.

Darnayla’s group instead contacted a TV news team and went ahead.

During the operation, Amistoso was allegedly caught in the act of selling a pack of suspected shabu worth P200.

Barangay officials arrested Amistoso and Ceniza after the transaction.

Darnayla and his group turned over the two suspects, including five small packs of suspected shabu seized from Amistoso and one pack from Ceniza.

In a phone interview, Darnayla said he consulted a prosecutor before he took action.

However, the police blotter of police station 4 recorded that men were arrested for possession of illegal drugs and not for selling, a heavier offense.

Charges for possession of illegal drugs were filed with the Prosecutors’ Office against the two men.

“Nahibulong lang ko nga wala man mi kasohi og drug pushing. Amo nalang nahibaw-an nga sayop diay to ilang gibuhat, mao nga amo pang tan-awon kay posibling mosumbalik mi og pasaka og kaso nila ( I was surprised that we were not charged for drug pushing. We later learned that what the barangay officials did was illegal. We are still studying if we can file counter charges against them),” said Amistoso.

Amistoso and Ceniza insisted that they were arrested in a buy-bust operation.

The two men accused barangay officials of planting evidence against them.

Amistoso admitted that he started selling drugs a few months ago.