PDEA denies stealing items from houses of drug suspects

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

BALONEY.

This was the reaction of the head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to accusations that they filched valuables from the home of three suspected drug pushers in LaPaz, Iloilo City.

The accusation stemmed from the buy-bust operation conducted by PDEA along with the regional and Iloilo City anti-illegal drugs operatives Friday evening in Jereos Extension, LaPaz.

Arrested in the operation were Ronnel Salabaria, 43, Rogelio Salabaria Jr., 39, and Ronel Uropia, 43.

The operatives recovered assorted sachets of suspected shabu, P300 mark money and suspected illegal drug paraphernalia.

But Brigida Salabaria, sister-in-law of Ronnel and Rogelio, reported to the LaPaz police that they lost several items during the raid.

Among the missing items were P40,000 cash, cellphone worth P2,500, Rado wristwatch worth P50,000, and P47,000 worth of bracelet and necklace.

PDEA regional head Paul Ledesma said they only hauled the mark money and other suspected contrabands they found inside the house.

Ledesma said barangay officials and the media witnessed the search that ensued after the buy-bust.

“They are just making up stories,” Ledesma said.