Drug op target skirts arrest

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

A subject of a police anti-illegal drug operation evaded arrest after running away from arresting operatives.

Police identified the suspect as Rolando Gonzales, 39, of Barangay Zone 2, Barangay Rizal in La Paz, Iloilo City.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Station 2 carried out the operation at 1:30 p.m. on December 10 at the suspect’s house.

Major Jose Val Ladublan, ICPS2 chief, said Gonzales already handed a sachet of suspected shabu and the police poseur buyer already paid P3,100 for it.

As the police poseur buyer and his backup operative were about to handcuff the suspect, Gonzales allegedly slipped from their grasp, kicked a portion of their house partition, and dived into a swampy area at the back of the house.

He then made his way to a row of houses in a thickly-populated area.

Police operatives were only left with the P3,100 marked money, two sachets of suspected shabu, and other non-drug items.

Ladublan said the suspect was already arrested in 2016 for illegal drug possession.

He got out of jail after availing of the plea bargaining agreement.

Village officials in Barangay Rizal claimed that the suspect was under monitoring for his alleged drug peddling and use. Officials allegedly warned him against his activities, but he did not heed them.

Meanwhile, Ladublan said they would still file charges against Gonzales for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).