TOM O SUSPECTS ROGUES IN DRUGS OFFICE

Suspicion now falls heavily on scalawags on the drug unit of the city
police department after the policemen investigated for a fire that hit
a drug enforcement office are the same men who were allegedly involved
in the suspicious arrest of an alleged drug pusher.

The suspected drug pusher claims to have lost his mobile phone and
cash during the arrest.

Mayor Tomas Osmena said the integrity of the drug enforcement unit is
now highly questionable after a fire of still undetermined origin
broke out of the DEU office that destroyed several files of
drug-related cases.

Fire investigators are looking into arson and faulty wiring as causes
of the fire but pending the investigation, there has been nothing
tangible on the incident.

The shady arrest of a suspected drug pusher fueled Osmena's doubts
that there are scalawags in the DEU. Osmena acted on a tip off that
was sent to him through text message. The message read that on August
10, the city drug enforcement unit arrested a certain Jessie
Apolinario in possession of eight packs of shabu, some P500,000, 10
pieces of jewelry, and mobile phones.

But a DEU spot report showed that only one pack of shabu and buy-bust
money of P700 were confiscated during the arrest. What became of the
other items is the subject of another probe.

Five policemen including Elmo Rosales, Gil Garcia, Cerilo Luage, Dindo
Lumapac, and Patrick Mumar are now facing investigation both for the
fire and spurious arrest incidents.

"There are some policemen who are scalawags in uniform but they are
only in the minority. These things will continue to be monitored on
selling and confiscating shabu," Osmena said.

As of yesterday, CIIB Chief Paul Labra said he can finish the
investigation within the week but only if the men do not ask for an
extension in the filing of their counter affidavits.