Father, son fall in Panay drug bust

ILOILO CITY — Anti-narcotics policemen arrested a 55-year-old man and his 26-year-old son and shot dead one of their aides during a drug bust in San Enrique town, about 55 km north of this city.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Western Visayas (PDEA-6) identified those arrested as Warlito Onorfe and his son, Wilmar, 26. An older son, Warren, escaped apprehension.

Paul Ledesma, PDEA-6 director, named the fatality as Bernie Gervero, a bodyguard of the Onorfe family which was the subject of the drug bust.

According to Ledesma, PDEA agents recovered 11 large sachets of suspected shabu worth P500,000 when they raided the Onofre compound at 4:20 a.m. on Monday in the mountain village of Managupaya, San Enrique.

He said his men caught the Onofres repacking shabu inside a hut but Gervero shot at the raiding team, forcing them to shoot back.

Recovered from the hut were two air guns converted into a shotgun and one unidentified caliber of short arm. Also recovered was a binocular.

“The subjects were repacking drugs (when agents barged in). Their area of coverage are the towns of San Enrique, Banate, Ajuy and Barotac Nuevo and the City of Passi,” Ledesma said.

Warlito denied he was into the drug trade but admitted that his sons peddled drugs.

“I was telling them to stop their illegal activity but they didn’t pay attention. I can’t force them (to stop) because they are bigger than me,” Warlito said in Hiligaynon.

Wilmar denied that he sold drugs but admitted using shabu.

“I don’t sell drugs. I admit I am a user. Someone just brings the drugs to us,” Wilmar said.

Warren, who managed to escape, was out on bail for a robbery case in Pototan, Iloilo.