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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA and RUBY SILUBRICO
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Saturday, May 27, 2017
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ILOILO City – Two barangay captains being linked to illegal drug trafficking have turned themselves in to the police.
Police said Keith “Dabing” Espinosa of Monica-Blumentritt, City Proper and Noemi Jablo of Desamparados, Jaro wanted to clear their names — they denied any connection with the drug trade.
Espinosa and Jablo were classified as “high-value target level 2” drug suspects under the Directorate for Intelligence of the Philippine National Police.
Espinosa, wife of former barangay kagawad Jesus “Jing-jing” Espinosa (also a drug suspect), went to Police Station 1 last week.
“Ginpanginwala niya nga involved sia sa illegal drugs,” said Chief Inspector Aldrin Lamera, station commander.
Jing-jing Espinosa was a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-identified alleged subgroup leader of the slain suspected drug lord Melvin “Boyet” Odicta. He was detained at the Iloilo District Jail in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo.
Jablo surrendered along with five others: her son TJ; her brother-in-law Russel Jablo; and Bryan “Arsap” Jablo and wife April, all of Desamparados; and Rovel Gardose of Barangay Tacas, also in Jaro.
They went to the Jaro police station on May 19 and denied having anything to do with drugs, station commander Inspector Ronaldo Amihan said.
“They did not surrender last year when we went to their houses when Project Tokhang was launched,” said Amihan. “This year, we tried again.”
“Sa mga nagsungka, si Arsap lang ang indi high-value target,” Amihan added.
As part of procedures, police recorded their biological profile and personal information.
Espinosa and Jablo were among the three barangay captains who were subjects of a Sangguniang Panlungsod investigation into the alleged proliferation of prohibited drugs in their respective villages.
The other one was Remia Prevendido Gregori of Bakhaw in Mandurriao district. She is the sister of the current top drug suspect in Western Visayas, Richard Prevendido. Prevendido remains at large as of this writing.
Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso, Iloilo City Police Office director, believes the city council investigation will help shed light on the illegal drug problem in the said villages.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency classified Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao as a “major area of concern” in the antidrug campaign./PN
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