Man nabbed in liquor bust

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Police arrested a 24-year-old man for allegedly selling liquor in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Jero Matheus Jaro, a resident of Zone 2, Barangay Airport, Mandurriao, was apprehended 9 p.m. of April 16 after selling Tanduay Rhum (longneck) for P240.

The liquor is usually sold at P100 to P120 in stores.

But Jaro was not arrested for overpricing.

Police Major Marlon Valencia, Mandurriao police chief, said the suspect was collared for violating Mayor Jerry Treñas’ Executive Order 055 (An Executive Order Implementing Regulation Ordinance No. 2020-056, Series of 2020 in Relation to the Practice of Enhanced Community Quarantine Applicable to All Commercial and Business Establishments, Government Offices and in Residential Areas, and For Other Purposes).

Under Section 10 of EO 55 (Express Prohibition on Liquor), “during the ECQ, the selling, dispensing, and transporting of alcoholic beverages, or any alcoholic drink containing a specific percentage of alcohol by volume or weight which may be in the form of whisky, brandy, gin, rum, cordial, liquor, cocktail, wine, champagne, vermouth, basi, tuba, sake, beer, ale, stout, and others shall be prohibited.”

Valencia said a tipster informed them that Jaro had been secretly selling liquor.

Valencia said they have been monitoring reports that some individuals secretly sold liquor amid the ban.

Because of the unavailability of liquor in stores, some agreed to buy at prices more than double of the suggested retail price.

During his arrest, Jaro yielded 13 bottles of Tanduay Rhum.

He is presently detained at the lock-up cell of Iloilo City Police Station 5.