Two troopers of the 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion, linked to illegal drug peddling activities by an arrested drug pusher, were disarmed and placed under restriction last night, their commander, Supt. Iver Apellido, said.

Now in hot water are Police Officer 2 Rex Capapas and Police Officer 1 Melchor Salcedo, both members of the 3rd Maneuver Company of 6th RPSB stationed in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City.

Capapas and Salcedo were disarmed and restricted at their headquarters, after Rodrigo de la Cruz, who was arrested yesterday during a buy-bust operation in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City, claimed that they gave him three sachets of suspected shabu, which he sold Saturday.

Supt. Rosauro Francisco, Silay police chief, yesterday said the arrest of de la Cruz at about 3 p.m. yesterday in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City, also yielded three sachets of suspected shabu, P300 in marked money and P200 in cash.

In a phone interview, De la Cruz claimed that he was fetched by Salcedo from his residence in Brgy. E. Lopez on Friday and told him to look for a buyer. When he went to the detachment the next day, he said he was given three sachets of suspected shabu to sell.

After the revelations of de la Cruz, Francisco said he immediately informed Chief Inspector Edhel Manzano, commander of the 3rd Maneuver Platoon, who, in turn, relayed it to Supt. Apellido, 6th RPSB director.

Salcedo and Capapas could not be reached for comment, as of last night.

Apellido said he ordered Manzano to disarm and place Capapas and Salcedo under restriction, pending investigation of the claims against them.

“I will not tolerate any wrongdoings of my personnel,” Apellido stressed.

Salcedo and Capapas, who could not be reached for comment last night, were reportedly subjected to drug testing at the PNP Crime Laboratory.

More than 70 drug peddlers were arrested and charged after Francisco assumed command of the Silay police force last year, police records show.* GPB

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