Jalosjos links governor, policeman to Zamboanga del Norte drug trade

Gualberto Laput

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Jalosjos links governor, policeman to Zamboanga del Norte drug trade
Jalosjos says there are 4 known drug lords – one of them shot dead last August 19 – who have been safe inside the walls of Dipolog City Jail

While public attention last week was mostly on the marathon House hearings on the proliferation of drugs in the national penitentiary, a congressman’s drug-related allegation against a policeman and a local politician went almost unnoticed.

In a privilege speech last Wednesday, September 21, Zamboanga del Norte 1st District Representative Seth Frederick Jalosjos claimed, “Our small country is now the center of attention because of the unwavering war on illegal drugs waged by our President” and it won’t disappear completely because Zamboanga del Norte’s own police and politicians are in on it.

Jalosos said the drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison, as narrated by some high profile inmates, was the same as what had been happening at the Dipolog City Jail.

Jalosjos said there were 4 known druglords, one of them shot dead last August 19, who were safe inside the walls of Dipolog City Jail. They were giving orders to their pushers and runners within Zamboanga del Norte.

“These druglords (were) under the protection of a police officer named SPO2 Roy P. Vertudez,” Jalosjos said in his speech.

He added Vertudez “is also being protected by the biggest fish in the Province of Zamboanga del Norte. (He) is untouchable because he is the head security of Roberto Uy, the incumbent – now suspended – governor of the province…”

Rappler tried to get the side of Vertudez, but he refused the request for interview saying he still has to ask permission from his superior. Meanwhile, Governor Uy was “out of town.”

Nevertheless, Agent Jury Rocamora, Provincial Head Agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), confirmed to Rappler Jalosjos’ that there were 4 known drug lords at the Dipolog City Jail: Yongyong Lim, Kevin Lim, a certain Piggy Back, and RG Guico, who was shot dead by a sniper outside the Bulwagan ng Katarungan.

Rocamora said the 4 druglords earned as much as P1 million per week before Guico was killed.

Rocamora added, “However, I cannot confirm nor deny the claim that Vertudez is the druglords’ coddler, for me, he is an operative based at Dipolog City Police Station, he has been going after drug traders. As for Governor Uy being their protector, we don’t have that. I would be happy if Congressman Jalosjos would share to us his information.”

In his privilege speech, Jalosjos said that one of Vertudez’s assets testified in a murder case filed against him claiming that he was the source of shabu being circulated here and behind the killings linked to drugs.

However, Jalosjos said De Lima intervened and issued Department Order 253 on February 18, 2015. The order placed Prosecutor Rommel C. Cudal from Zamboanga Sibugay as Acting City Prosecutor of Dipolog to conduct the preliminary investigation on the case against Vertudez.

The congressman asked, why did she designate a prosecutor from another province when there were a lot of prosecutors in Dipolog; of all the murders in Dipolog, why would she choose to intervene in Vertudez’s case alone? Eventually, the case against Vertudez was dismissed. – Rappler.com

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