Elections exec says PDEA planted shabu

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

ARRESTED elections officer Jose Mari Fernandez has accused narcotics agents of illegal arrest and planting evidence against him.

This was revealed by Misamis Oriental elections officer Carlito Ravelo who was able to talk with the elections officer of Gitagum, Misamis Oriental, days after his arrest in what authorities said was a buy-and-bust operation in Barangay Iponan, this city.

Ravelo said Fernandez told him that Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents planted the sachets of suspected shabu that were allegedly seized during the supposed undercover operation at Bloomingdale subdivision last week.

PDEA has charged Fernandez with selling illegal drugs.

Fernandez, according to Ravelo, also alleged that he was forced by a PDEA agent into signing a waiver so that a case could be filed in court against him sans a preliminary investigation by local prosecutors.

“Gipa-waive sa iya sa PDEA agent nga dili na siya pagka-conduct og preliminary  investigation  sa fiscal, ipadiretso lang og file ang kaso sa korte. Morag gipapaspasan sa PDEA pag-file ang kaso,” Ravelo said.

He said Fernandez alleged that PDEA made up a story and all the evidence its agents supposedly seized from his house were all planted.

Ravelo mantained that Fernandez has maintained his innocence even as the suspect accused narcotics agents of barging into his house without a good reason.

“Wala na daw nakuha sa iya. Gisipa daw ila pultahan kamolo  sila ug lunch sa iyang  mga anak. Giti-onan dayon siya  ug pusil sa  mga PDEA,” said Ravelo.

He said Fernandez also alleged that he lost P20 thousand in cash intended to pay his children’s tuition.

Fernandez, according to Ravelo, said the money was kept in a wallet that was allegedly taken by a PDEA agent.

The money, along with a number of cellphones, were not in the PDEA inventory, he said.