TALKING TO THE VILLAGERS. Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, chief of Bacolod City Police Office Drug Enforcement Unit, gives a lecture to residents of Sitio Sibucao in Barangay Banago after conducting a buy-bust that led to the arrest of three suspects on Tuesday (Jan. 21, 2020). Also present were barangay officials led by village chief Ricky Mijares. (Photo courtesy of Bacolod City Police Office)
BACOLOD CITY -- The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) led by Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido struck anew in Barangay Banago on Tuesday morning.
Four days after his team’s first operation, which led to the arrest of two suspects who yielded PHP420,000 worth of suspected shabu, they returned to Sitio Sibucao and busted three more suspects from the same family.
Arrested were street-level target Norlan Gamgan Majometano, 31; Jay Depakakibo Majometano, 49; and Jerome Majometano Malan, 42;
The operation around 7 a.m. yielded 10 grams of shabu with an estimated market value of PHP120,000.
After arresting the suspects, Espenido gave a lecture during a meeting with the residents and barangay officials led by village chief Ricky Mijares.
Quoting a Bible verse, he told the people that whether a person does good or bad, there is a consequence.
“So maghuna-huna kamo. Ano ma’ng kahimtang ninyo illegal hangtud karon. Naa ba kag kalinaw sa huna-huna? Akong pagpanghinaut dinhing Banago wala unta mamatay sa akong operation dinhi. Akon na gi-ampo sa Ginoo (You should think about it. Why is it that until now you are doing something illegal? Do you have peace of mind? It is my hope that no one will get killed during my operation here in Barangay Banago. That’s my prayer to the Lord),” Espenido said.
However, the police office official said that if some will continue to violate the law, he will not back down and will lay down his life for the people who want peace for the village.
“It would be on my conscience if I don’t do my job while receiving my salary from the people’s taxes,” Espenido added.
He gave out his contact numbers and urged the residents to report illegal activities in the village to him.
Sitio Sibucao, a coastal community in the northern part of Bacolod, has been known for the presence of drug personalities.
In May 2018, Ramy Poja, then the top most wanted of Bacolod City Police Station 3, and one of Western Visayas’ high-value targets, was killed during a police operation in the area. (PNA)
