Quezon cops hunt 50 big-time drug traders

SURRENDER Cerilo “Athel” Alcala, brother of Quezon Rep. Vicente Alcala, and his son Sajid show up at the police station in Lucena City to refute allegations that they are involved in drug trafficking in the province. DELFIN T. MALLARI JR./INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

LUCENA CITY—Police authorities will run after at least 50 drug pushers in Quezon province following the surrender of two members of a local political clan who were allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

“We can’t just simply speculate, but … some, if not most, of the pushers may surrender. This is what we really anticipate,” Supt. Dennis de Leon, city police chief, told the Inquirer on Monday.

On Sunday, Quezon Rep. Vicente Alcala accompanied his brother Cerilo and nephew Sajid to the police station here, so they could refute the allegations against them. These have dragged the entire family into “a big scandal and [various] issues,” following media reports on the government’s antidrug campaign, he said.

In July, more than 13,000 drug peddlers and users surrendered to authorities as police intensified its crackdown on illegal drug trafficking in the province, police records showed. At least 33 people were killed, mostly in vigilante-style gun attacks.

Senior Supt. Antonio Yarra, provincial police director, described Cerilo and Sajid as “high-value targets” and the “most influential drug personalities” in Quezon due to their political connection. “This is a breakthrough in our anti-illegal drug campaign in the province,” Yarra said.

Cerilo denied the charges. “I have long stopped,” he said in Filipino. His son declined to answer.

Other brothers of Cerilo, 59, are former Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and Board Member Hermilando Alcala Jr.

One of his nephews, Lucena Mayor Roderick Alcala, who earlier ordered the city police to arrest Cerilo, said the surrender of his relatives would give them the chance to clear their names and the family’s reputation.

Police have identified Cerilo and his son, who is in his early 30s, as belonging to a group of big-time traders of “shabu” (methamphetamines) in Lucena and its nearby towns. Yarra tagged Sajid as No. 7 and Cerilo as No. 9 on the watch list of the city police.

A source from the local police placed Sajid as No. 1; Cerilo, No. 2; and another son of Cerilo, Totie, as No. 3.

Police records showed that Cerilo and Sajid had already been arrested thrice on drug pushing charges, but they were freed several years ago. The courts dismissed the three cases against them, Quezon Rep. Alcala said.

Cerilo will remain in police custody due to two bench warrants on drug-related cases which were issued by local judges. Sajid had no pending arrest warrant and was allowed to go home after the routine profiling and documentation under the Philippine National Police “Oplan Tokhang.”

De Leon said Cerilo was returned to the hospital where he had been confined the past week. He did not disclose the hospital’s location, citing security reason, but said Cerilo was being guarded by policemen.