18 Cebu policemen linked to drug trade in C. Visayas

FRANZ Sabalones (left), who police identified as one of the top drug lords in Central Visayas, has linked 18 policemen to the drug trade. In August, Sabalones turned himself in to Philippine National Police Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

CEBU CITY—At least 18 policemen in Cebu province, including three police officials with the rank of superintendent, were linked to the illegal drug trade by confessed drug lord Franz Sabalones.

A report aired by UNTV said a matrix, reportedly released by Sabalones, claimed these officials were receiving between P1,000 and P150,000 from the drug lord who turned himself in to Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Philippine National Police chief, in August.

The report said Sabalones set aside a weekly budget of P507,000 for the 18 policemen and an agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The money was delivered to them supposedly through Sabalones’ cook, gym companions, billiard buddies or neighbors who served as bagmen, it said.

Drug list

Sabalones’ brother, San Fernando Vice Mayor Fralz Sabalones, was earlier included on the list of local officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. The list was made public by President Duterte.

But police officials who were identified by Franz Sabalones in the matrix had threatened to sue him for ruining their reputation.

Among these policemen are Supt. Rex Derilo, former intelligence division chief of the Central Visayas regional police office; Supt. George Ylanan, former regional special operations group chief; and Supt. Teodulfo Manatad, former Carcar City police chief.

Derilo, Ylanan and five other police officials in the region were given new assignments in Mindanao and in the Cordillera and Cagayan Valley regions in July after Mr. Duterte assumed office.

Lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna, who represents Derilo and Ylanan, said the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) initiated an investigation that would be led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). His clients reported to the PNP Holding Unit in Camp Crame on Monday for the investigation set today.

The UNTV report cited Chief Supt. Leo Angelo Leuterio, deputy inspector general of the police’s IAS, as saying his office was validating the level of involvement of the police officials in the drug trade.

Baseless accusations

Dela Cerna said reports claiming that Derilo and Ylanan were on the payroll of Sabalones were “baseless accusations.”

He said his clients had been wrongly judged after they were linked to the drug trade by what he described as a “notorious” drug lord.

“What else can he (Sabalones) do but to save himself? That’s the reason why he’s making false accusations against [my clients],” Dela Cerna said.

He said he would demand a copy of a complaint against his clients, an affidavit or any valid information on the case during the hearing today.

“If the matrix is the only basis, [then] it does not hold water because mere allegation is not evidence. So, I would move that the case be dismissed and my clients be cleared,” he said.

Once they are absolved, Dela Cerna said the police officials would file a P10-million damage suit against Sabalones. Aside from the civil case, they would file libel, perjury and falsification charges against Sabalones “or anyone who orchestrated this.”

In a brief interview and text messages on Sunday night, Derilo said he was shocked to learn that he was included in the drug matrix and denied receiving payola from Sabalones.

Next target

Derilo said Sabalones was the police’s next target after his group “neutralized” Jeffrey Diaz, the top drug lord in Central Visayas who went by the alias Jaguar.

“Do you think I will do that? I was the only the one who was able to chop off their head (referring to the successful police operation against the one of the biggest leaders of the illegal drug syndicate in the region). They were supposed to be next. The only way they can pin me down was to implicate me in the drug trade,” Derilo said.

Dela Cerna said his clients had not been involved in any case involving corruption in their 18 to 20 years in the police service.

“It is only now that they were accused of wrongdoing by a drug lord and everybody believed him,” he said.

The Inquirer tried but failed to reach Manatad and Ylanan for comment.

Chief Supt Noli Taliño, regional police chief, said he has yet to see the supposed drug matrix prepared by Sabalones.

Taliño said he has no jurisdiction over Ylanan and Derilo due to their reassignment.

Taliño, however, promised to coordinate with CIDG to check other policemen on the list who are still in Cebu so he can validate their alleged participation in the drug trade.