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BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – Charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 were filed against the sons of slain suspected drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr. and their helpers Friday, Dec. 9.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives caught brothers Melvin Jr., 36; Michael, 32; and Darryl, 29, during a raid of their house — an alleged drug den — in Barangay Malipayon, City Proper on Thursday.
They were charged with violation of sections 6 (maintenance of a drug den) and 26 (conspiracy) of Republic Act 9165 before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
Four house helpers present at the time of the raid were also arrested: Alexander Yparosa, Paul Flores, Rio Pineda, and Rocky Odicta. They were charged with being employees of a drug den (violation of Section 7).
“Iyong common perception ng tao is kapag (drug) den, iyong rûrû-an lang or kung saan gumagamit (ng ilegal na droga),” PDEA deputy regional director Levi Ortiz told Panay News.
“Hindi lang iyan,” he stressed. “A den is also a place where illegal drugs are hidden or stored, or used as distribution point (of drugs).”
Melvin Jr. was also charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosive, Ortiz said.
Seized from the Odicta residence were 19 sachets of shabu; P300,000 cash; a .40-caliber pistol with ammunition; a grenade; a shotgun from Odicta residence security guard Elemio Dumalogdog; a .22-caliber revolver; a handheld radio; bank checks; and a joint passbook in the name of Melvin Sr. and wife Meriam.
A 16-year-old house help were arrested, too, while two Odicta residence security guards — Mark Poblacion and Dumalogdog — were taken in for questioning. All three were later released.
On Aug. 29, Melvin Sr. and Meriam were shot to death at the Caticlan jetty port in Malay, Aklan. No suspect has been identified or arrested as of press time.
Melvin Jr., who was believed to have taken over the alleged illegal drug operation of his parents, was the subject of the raid./PN
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