Prevendido minion falls in drug sting

AN ALLEGED underling of the Prevendido Drug Group was arrested in an anti-narcotics operation late evening of April 3, 2019 in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Cops collared John Mark Sinibalo, 27, of Barangay Simon Ledesma, Jaro, in a buy-bust at San Isidro village.

Sinibalo allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu for P1,000 to a poseur-buyer.

Operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RDEU-6) further recovered from the suspect 10 sachets of shabu worth P10,000.

Police Captain Mark Dado, RDEU-6 team leader, said the suspect is allegedly a remnant of the Prevendido Group who surrendered through Oplan Tokhang. He did not undergo the rehabilitation process.

But Sinibalo allelgedy did not stop dealing illegal drugs.

Dado said the suspect was listed as a high value target (HVT) level 1 drug personality because he was a “direct pusher” working for Ariel Prevendido.

Ariel is the nephew of slain top drug personality Richard Prevendido.

Sinibalo works as a kristo or bet caller at cockpits in Iloilo City.

Ariel’s father used to be the handler of Richard’s gamefowl.

“He used the cockpits as his fortress. We even presumed that he was selling drugs at the cockpit,” Dado said.

Dado noted that police officers are prevented from going inside the cockpit arenas, which Sinibalo used to his advantage.

The suspect allegedly attempted to flee after the transaction was consummated.

Dado said they made several attempts to transact with the suspect but the latter was slippery.

Meanwhile, Sinibalo admitted that he was a drug surrenderer and claimed to have undergone rehabilitation twice.

His live-in partner also claimed that the suspect used to be a drug user but not a drug dealer.

Sinibalo denied owning the drugs taken from his possession.

He is now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).