ONE of three persons arrested in a raid at a drug suspect’s home in San Jose Village, Barangay Umapad, Mandaue City last Monday evening was released after police found no evidence linking him to their target.
Chief Insp. Wilbert Parilla, Opao police precinct chief, said their investigation showed that Celso Branzuela wasn’t involved in any illegal drug activity with his neighbor, suspected drug pusher Rey Josef Gingoyon.
Branzuela, who was in Gingoyon’s house at the time, said he wasn’t related in any way to Gingoyon and didn’t take a video of the police operation contrary to a police officer’s claim.
He said he only got curious and followed the police as they searched Gingoyon’s house.
Branzuela was arrested along with Gingoyon’s 29-year-old brother Antonius Ceasar Gingoyon and 20-year-old John Anthony Mondejar.
Found in Gingoyon’s house were more than a half million pesos’ worth of shabu and eight bullets.
“Nabalaka man kuno iyang pamilya nganong naapil siya diha nga wala man siyay labot kay gi-release na man siya (His family was worried when he was included when he wasn’t involved and in fact was released by police),” Parilla said.
Parilla admitted they arrested Branzuela but released him after they saw no video recording of the police operation in his phone.
Rey Joseph Gingoyon noticed the police and escaped through the back door.
Mondejar attempted to escape through the window but was cornered by police.
Antonius Gingoyon reportedly delayed the police long enough to allow his brother to escape.
Gingoyon and Mondejar were detained at the Opao police precinct pending the filing of charges against them.