ILOILO City – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency released the three brothers-in-law of slain drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr. from custody.
The 36-hour reglementary period for the detention of the Regalado brothers Leo, Cyril and Arnulfo has lapsed and no charge has been filed against them, according to agency Region 6 office spokesman David Abraham Garcia.
The Regalado siblings – brothers of Odicta’s wife Meriam – and Arnulfo’s wife Nilda were freed at 8 p.m. on Friday.
All four were arrested in an antidrug operation of the PDEA in Barangay Sambag, Jaro district on Dec. 13.
The PDEA was about to file charges against the four suspects at the City Prosecutor’s Office on Friday but they were late five minutes, Garcia said.
Garcia blamed their “malfunctioning” photocopier and printer for the delay.
“We tried to repair the photocopier, but to no avail. So we resorted to photocopy services outside of the office,” he said.
Garcia said they will file the charges for possession of illegal drugs and illegal possession of firearms against the suspects on Monday.
During the operation at around 6:43 a.m. Thursday, PDEA agents seized P400,000 worth of shabu, a 12-gauge shotgun and a .45 pistol./PN
