ILOILO – Tagged as the No. 8 drug personality in this province, a man was arrested in Barangay Talaugis, Zarraga town yesterday.
The 44-year-old Leonel Piad was collared around 1:30 p.m. inside his house in a drug buy-bust operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6.
Piad was under surveillance after PDEA personnel received information of his alleged drug trading. PDEA were able to “transact” with the suspect for over two weeks prior to the operation.
According to PDEA-6 agent Ronel Butch Montenegro, Piad was among the leaders of the newly-formed drug group operating here, and his supplier was allegedly from Pototan town.
“We conducted a test buy before our operation and when we confirmed, we immediately conducted a buy-bust operation,” Montenegro told Panay News.
Undercover agents initially bought a sachet of shabu from him worth P1,000.
Two more sachets valued at P40,800 were recovered from the suspect’s possession.
The suspect was considered as “high-value” target.
In 2015, he was also arrested by the PDEA in Arevalo, Iloilo City for the same offense.
The suspect was released after a year of detention.
He had been a drug surrenderer in their barangay, PDEA said.
‘PLANTED’
On the other hand, Piad’s mother Nelida claimed that no buy-bust operation had happened; the recovered drugs were all “planted”.
Nelida told Panay News her son was lying on their balcony when the PDEA together with Zarraga policemen arrived and they suddenly grabbed the suspect.
Later, Nelida claimed that one of the PDEA agents placed the illegal drugs inside the pocket of her son’s short pants.
“Nakibot kami sang hinali gin butong nila kag gin pusasan bata ko nga naga higda. Tapos sang gin lantaw iya bulsa wala may nakuha nga shabu tapos nakibot lang ko sang mag inventory sila may mga shabu na,” Nelida said.
Nelida, however, admitted that his son was once arrested for the same offense.
“After sang iya kaso sang 2015, wala na namon gintugotan nga maguwa… diri lang gid sia sa sulod sang balay naga sagod sang baboy kag naga atender sang store. Wala sia naga baligya drugs,” the mother added.
For PDEA’s part, Montenegro said it’s common for drug suspects to claim that the drugs are being planted.
The suspect was brought to the PDEA’s detention cell. Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against him./PN
