Police collar late vice governor’s son in Mabolo drug den

Police on Friday arrested the son of the late Cebu vice governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. after he was allegedly caught sniffing shabu in a suspected drug den in Cebu City.

Leodegreco “Greco” Sanchez and his friend Edward Teves were collared by police in a house along Tres Borces St. in sitio Sindulan, barangay Mabolo at around 9:30 p.m.

Police said two plastic bags containing a crystalline substance believed to be shabu were seized from their possession.

Chief Inspector George Ylanan, head of the Special Operations Group of the Police Regional Office of Central Visayas, said they tracked down Sanchez after his sister, Grecylda “Gigi” Sanchez-Zaballero, sought their help.

She  requested police intervention to have her brother returned to a drug rehabilitation center after Greco had been harassing family members and employees for money.

She also reported that Greco had stolen the family yacht with two persons on board and had taken the vessel to waters off the South Road Properties.

The police were able to track down Greco’s car that led to the arrests.

Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, director of the Police Regional Office 7, said both Greco and another son of a public official, Joavan Fernandez, were a “nuisance” in their communities and needed to be “neutralized.” (See related story on page 2)

“It’s their family members who are going to the police to report their unacceptable deeds,” he said.

Ylanan said the arrests were made in the same area where police tried to arrest Joavan Fernandez, adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Soc Fernandez, last February 2011. Joavan, however,escaped after he rammed the car carrying Ylanan.

“I remember that house because it was known to cater to drug users,” Ylanan told Cebu Daily News.

Greco, who has been in and out of drug rehabilitation, denied that he was carrying drugs when CDN visited him at the detention cell of the Police Regional Office-7.

He said he was about to enter the house to get his T-shirt when police arrived and arrested him.

“Gikawat kuno nako ang among yate. Unsaon man nako pagkawat sa among yate. Siguro ug gikawat pa nako iyang (pointing toward his friend Teves) yate, pwede pa,” Greco said.

(I was accused of stealing our own yacht. Maybe if it’s Teves’ yacht, the arrest could be more valid.)

Greco’s sister said she had mixed feelings after learning about the arrest. The Liberal Party candidate for a seat in the Provincial Board

In a text message to CDN, Gigi said that while she’s relieved that her brother has finally been collared, she was “sad” for their mother.

“I have mixed feelings about this development. On one hand, I am sad for my mother because it is not easy for a mother to have a son in jail,” she said.

“I have always wanted to have my brother brought back to the rehab center so he can get professional assistance for his drug problem. I also feared that he would commit a crime to sustain his vice. On the other hand, I support the government and the law enforcement agency in their efforts to get rid of this menace to our society. I have personally experienced the adverse effects of this problem on the family,” she added.

Greco was dismayed to learn that his sister wanted him back in rehabilitation.

“Dili makaangayan. Dili justifiable kay nagpatuo bitaw ko. Wala man ko nagpabadlong,” he said.

(It’s not justifiable because I’ve been good. I did not give her any problems.) With Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus