Police file raps against city hall workers caught in drug busts

By LITO RULONA
and JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondents .

AUTHORITIES yesterday pressed charges against the two city hall employees who were arrested during separate buy-and-bust operations here late last week.

The suspects — Joeffrey Seirra, 40, and Nelson Rimontigue Jr., 34 — were charged  before the City Prosecutor’s Office.

City administrator Teddy Sabugaa said the two city hall workers were suspended, and would be subjected to administrative investigation by city hall. If found liable, they would be dismissed from the government service, he said.

Cagayan de Oro City Police Office spokesman Supt. Mardy Hortillosa II said Seirra, a resident of Barangay 7 who works at the City Public Services Office, was charged with possessing and selling suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

Rimontigue, a traffic aide from Barangay Macasandig, was charged with possession and use of suspected shabu.

“Sierra, selling gyud, and Rimontigue, using kay kamulo pa gahithit pagdakop. Manghinayang ta tungod kay empleyado sila sa gobyerno apan wala kita’y mahimo tungod kay nakalapas sila. Apan maulit kita kay sayang ang ilang mga trabaho,” Hortillosa said.

Carmen police  commander chief Demver Vergara said Sierra, who once assigned as a driver for Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya, was in the drug list of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council.

Authorities seized from him four sachets of suspected shabu when he was caught in downtown Cagayan de Oro.

Roads and Traffic Administration operations chief Carmelito Deloso said he would recommend for the dismissal of Rimontigue who was caught in an alleged “drug den” in Barangay 17.

“Dili si Rimontigue ang unang RTA member nga gitangtang sa trabaho apan daghan na ang napriso kay nagbaligya ug paggamit sa gidiling droga sukad pa sa miaging katuigan,” Deloso said.

Meanwhile, authorities arrested two more suspected drug pushers and a theft suspect here yesterday.

Police identified the suspects as Gerald Benosara, 37, jobless, and Abni Alvarez, 37, a vendor. Both are residents  of Zone 5, Xavier Heights, Upper Balulang; and theft suspect Michael Malubay, 21, of Sitio St. John, Puntod.

Benosara and Alvarez were arrested during a buy-and-bust operation along Kauswagan highway. Police confiscated three sachets of suspected shabu.

Malubay was handcuffed due to a warrant of arrest for theft issued by Judge Evelyn Neri.

Members of the Macabalan police headed by SPO4 Ricky Bagas pounced on him yesterday afternoon. He could however post a P10-thousand bailbond.