Ex-cop tagged in 2009 chopper scam arrested in Butuan City after buy-bust

MANILA, Philippines—A former policeman who is charged with graft for a shady P34 million helicopter deal was arrested on Sunday morning in Butuan City right after a separate buy bust operation in his neighborhood.

Former Police Officer 3 Avensuel Go, 41, was apprehended as members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group was wrapping up an anti-narcotics operation in Port Poyohan.

CIDG Dir. Benjamin Magalong said the suspect was easily spotted by the policemen as his movements had been monitored since 2013.

Go, a resident of Butuan City, is one of several police officials tagged in the shady deal involving second hand helicopters purchased by the Philippine National Police in 2009.

The PNP had purchased second-hand helicopters, which were sold as brand new to the agency for P34.6 million.

Magalong said it was on the strength of a warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan for graft and falsification of public documents in relation to the anomalous chopper deal that Go was apprehended.

“He has been in hiding for the past two years,” the CIDG chief said.

The ex-policeman happened to be in the area where the CIDG had just conducted a buy bust operation to arrest a suspect drug dealer responsible for the illegal drug trade in Butuan City.

“He was immediately recognized by the CIDG team and was arrested as the operatives were wrapping up the operation,” Magalong said.

The CIDG chief added that Go had been monitored since October 2013 by the team of Chief Insp. Ignacio Gamba III, who was tasked to track him down.

The CIDG had just arrested suspected drug dealer Joan Tobias, 33, at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when the former policemen arrived in the area for still unknown reasons.

Unfortunately for Go, Gamba was the one overseeing the anti-narcotics operation that day.

Gamba’s operatives spotted the ex-policeman and immediately arrested him after they apprehended Tobias.

The CIDG recovered 38 sachets of shabu from Tobias, as well as a lighter and a P500 marked bill after the buy-bust.

The suspect is believed to be behind a big drug syndicate operating in Butuan City and nearby provinces and is on the watch list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Go will be turned over to the Sandiganbayan which issued the arrest warrant against him, while Tobias will be charged with drug peddling under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, according to Magalong.