Daily Star logoTop Stories
Bacolod City, Philippines Saturday, June 23, 2012
Front Page
Negros Oriental
Star Business
Opinion
Sports
Police Beat
Star Life
People & Events
Eguide
Events
Schedules
Obituaries
Congratulations
Classified Ads
Judge OKs plea of DepEd
official on probe of illegal drug charges

BY ADRIAN NEMES III

Regional Trial Court Branch 47 Judge Edgar Garvilles approved the appeal of an official of the Department of Education Division of Cadiz City, asking the City Prosecutor's Office to conduct preliminary investigation before hearing the illegal drug use charges against him.

City Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group filed illegal use charges against Joshua Santillana, 55, of Fortune Town Subdivision, Bacolod, and assigned as DepEd District supervisor of Cadiz, after his drug test result showed him positive for shabu use, the police said.

However, Roger Reyes, legal counsel of Santillana, in an interview with ABS-CBN, said the urine sample used in the drug test on his client that showed him positive for shabu use, is not sufficient evidence to proceed with the charges against him.

Reyes said there was no confirmatory test conducted to verify the result of the drug test conducted on Santillana, and that not a single gram of prohibited drug or paraphernalia was recovered from his client, who, he claimed, was merely watching television when he was arrested last month.

The CPO is expected to release the result of the preliminary investigation in 30 days.

On May 31, the SOG, Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, and the Women and Children complaints desk, rescued two male teenagers from the house of Rommel Navarra in Purok Maabi-abihon in Brgy. Banago, where Santillana reportedly brought them to use illegal drugs.

Aside from the illegal drug use charges, Santillana is also facing child abuse cases at the Regional Trial Court Branch 41 of Judge Ray Allan Drilon.

Santillana was released from detention after he posted bail at P40,000 for the illegal drug use charges, while Drilon set his bail at P80,000 each for the two counts of child abuse charges, the police said.

A five-man team was also formed by the Department of Education Region 6 to investigate the case of Santillana, DepEd Regional Director Mildred Garay said.*APN

back to top

Front Page | Opinion | Negros Oriental | Business | Sports
Star Life | People & Events| Archives | Advertise
Top Stories
Button Judge OKs plea of DepEd official on probe of illegal drug charges
Button Bid opening for ETCS July 3
Button Bacoleños warned`vs. car burglars
ButtonTArles son hopes mastermind in slay of judge identified soon
Button P140M Sipalay City Hall operational - Montilla
Button Dad meted 8 years for death of daughter
Button Cops, guards to meet on thefts at Capitol
Button 5 rescue teams to be deployed for Feast of San Juan in Bacolod
Button Novero eyeing VM post in 2013 poll
Button Free urinalysis check held