WOMAN IN BAGUIO DRUG BRIBE ATTEMPT RELEASED

BAGUIO CITY " Narcotics agents almost got a commendation for
"incorruptibility" from the city council on Wednesday, only to be
disappointed by a legal loophole.

A Baguio prosecutor freed a woman who was implicated in an alleged
200,000-peso bribery attempt by Manila police officers on Sunday to release
a drug suspect arrested by agents from the 14th regional narcotics group
(Narcgroup) here.

Assistant prosecutor Elmer Sagsago said the Narcgroup failed to establish
the guilt of Imelda Guillermo, common-law wife of suspect Marcelo de
Juaiting, except by her association with Inspector Luis Chico of Metro
Manila's Western Police District (WPD).

She was released Wednesday morning from the city jail after being detained
for two days.

Chico was accused of corruption on Monday for intervening, and later
offering cash in exchange for De Juaiting's release.

He was supported later by a group of 10 to 12 Manila policemen, supposedly
detailed with the National Capital Region Police Office's drug enforcement
unit (NCRPO-DEU).

Only Chico and Guillermo, however, were charged before the Baguio
prosecutor's office.

Sagsago said his decision "does not prejudice the filing of a new bribery
case against Guillermo, provided the (Narcgroup) can give me more
substantive evidence against her."

But his decision did not cover Chico's charges. "I gave Chico's lawyer 10
days to answer the accusation," Sagsago said.

Chico is being investigated by the WPD general assignments unit. His NCRPO
companions have not been identified, although Narcgroup sources said these
men would be charged in a complaint being prepared by the Narcgroup
supervisor for Northern Luzon, Orlando Mabutas.

Guillermo's release preempted a commendation that was being deliberated by
the city council.

Councilor Delfin Balajadia sponsored a resolution that would have cited
Senior Inspector Marcos Eblahan Jr., and his team for "their heroic deed of
refusing" the 200,000-peso bribe offer.

But two councilors debated on this resolution on the floor because of the
ongoing investigations.

Guillermo's release was later disclosed during the deliberations, prompting
the embarrassed councilors to defer action on the resolution.

Eblahan said he had not been advised about Guillermo's release.

In a related development, Narcgroup sources confirmed on Tuesday that De
Juaiting's apparent drug supplier had been traced to a maximum-security
prisoner at the National Penitentiary.

De Juaiting's testimony jived with the admission of two suspects, who were
arrested by the Narcgroup here on June 19 on charges of drug possession.

"The trace led us to the same name. Both these two cases provided us the
same name. We have coordinated with the Muntinlupa police office to help us
follow the trail, because we are sure it will lead to more people in the
(drug organization)," the source said.