AN Army soldier was dishonorably discharged while 13 government militiamen, all assigned in Northern Luzon, were also terminated after testing positive for illegal drugs.
Brig. Gen. Paul Atal, chief of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division based in Isabela, said the soldier and the militiamen were found to be using illegal drugs during initial and confirmatory tests conducted during the time of his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Lysander Suerte, who retired last month.
Atal declined to name the soldier and the militiamen “because we have to consider their families.”
Atal said he acted on the recommendation to discharge the soldier and terminate the militiamen from the service but stressed that ridding the 5th ID of personnel hooked on illegal drugs is a continuing effort.
“All units under the 5th ID will have to undergo drug test. This will be continuing. We are very strict on this matter, in compliance with our commander-in-chief’s instruction,” Atal said, referring to President Duterte’s war on drugs.
The Army’s 81st Infantry Division has deployed 60 personnel along the national highway of Ilocos Sur and La Union to assist the PNP in the campaign against crimes, including illegal drugs.
Lt. Col. Eugenio Julio Osias IV, 81st IB commander, said the deployment is in support of President Duterte’s declaration of State of Lawlessness in the country after the Sept. 2 bombing in Davao City that left 14 civilians dead and over 60 others wounded.
The PNP yesterday clarified that Vice Mayor Abdul Wahab Sabal, of Talitay town in Maguindanao, was arrested last Thursday for his alleged involvement in illegal drugs and not for the Davao City blast last September 2.
“Sinabi naman ni chief PNP dela Rosa it has nothing to do with the Davao blast,” PNP spokesman Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos said.
Sabal was arrested upon arrival at the Cotabato Airport in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Cotabato City for an illegal drugs case and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
He was flown from Maguindanao to Manila on Saturday and was detained at Camp Crame.
The cases against Sabal, his wife Mohanna Sabal, his security escort Nasser Maulana and driver Norodin Abas were referred to the Department of Justice last Saturday.
Sr. Supt. Albert Ferro, PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group chief, said: “We are just investigating him (Sabal) sa illegal drugs. Kapag nakakuha kami ng information we will try to dig deeper kung mayroon talaga siyang involvement sa (Davao City) bombing.”
BARANGAY COUNCILOR NABBED
A barangay councilor was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Pasay City last Saturday night.
The Southern Police District said Jordan Garland of Barangay 43 was nabbed around 7:45 p.m. near Tramo St. while allegedly selling shabu to a poseur buyer. Recovered from him was suspected shabu with a street value of P70,000.
Garland denied that he was into the illegal drugs trade, adding he surrendered to police last July to clear his name since he was included in Pasay’s drug watch list.
Three suspected drug dealers and a cop who went absent without official leave last month after he tested positive for illegal drugs were shot to death on Saturday.
Sr. Supt Adriano Enong, Rizal PNP provincial director, identified the alleged drug dealers as Renato Adane and an alias “Satan,” residents of Barangay Dolores, Taytay, Rizal who were killed in a buy-bust operation at 1 p.m.
Recovered at the scene were a .38 revolver, an MK hand grenade, and 21 plastic sachets containing suspected shabu.
The other suspected drug dealer, killed by operatives of the Binan municipal police station during a buy-bust operation, was identified as one alias “Bay.”
PO1 Arnel Agadia, 40, of Phase 3 Lynville Subdivision in Barangay Calios, Sta. Cruz, Laguna, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen while driving his tricycle in Sitio 1, Barangay Bagumbayan, Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
SPO1 Manolito Binalay, officer-on-case, said Agadia went AWOL last month after testing positive for illegal drugs and was included in the Laguna PPO’s watch list allegedly over his illegal drug activities.
A report from the Laguna PPO said Agadia was driving his motorcycle on the provincial road when two men on a motorcycle tailing him suddenly peppered him with bullets.
Agadia died on the spot while the shooters fled.
Recovered from the scene were a caliber .9 mm Beretta with a loaded magazine, 13 spent bullet casings for .45 caliber pistol, a deformed .45 caliber slug, and a .45 caliber slug.
The PNP yesterday said the number of deaths under investigation or killings attributed to vigilantes are now pegged at 1,490 from July 1 up to September 8.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/soldier-militiamen-sacked-over-drug-links
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