Sabalones now a ‘changed man,’ no longer in drug trade

Atty. Louie Arma

BE factual and truthful.

This was the message of lawyer Louie Arma to the police and other law enforcement agencies that dragged the name of Franz Sabalones in the arrest of three town councilors in San Fernando.

Arma said his client was very disappointed by insinuations that the “former drug lord” is still involved in illegal drug trade.

“Aron lang sa pag-manufacture sa ilahang (law enforcers) achievements, mogamit lang og recycled names. Wala ni padulngan,” Arma said.

(Just for the law enforcers to manufacture their achievements, they will use recycled names. It will get them nowhere.)

Arma said that instead of looking for the “real drug traders,” the law enforcers used his client as a scapegoat so that they have a report to present to the public.

He said Sabalones already stopped his illegal drug trade a long time ago and had nothing to do with the present drug operations in San Fernando town.

Arma said the three councilors who were arrested last Friday were never among the members of Sabalones’ former drug network.

“Kanang mga tawhana, even sa panahon wala pa ni undang si Franz wala g’yud na silay kalambigitan (to Franz). It’s very surprising nga karon na hinoon sila nalambigit nga totally ni undang na si Franz,” Arma said.

(Even when Franz was still active in the illegal drug trade, those people were not involved in his group. It is very surprising that now that Franz has totally stopped his illegal drug trade, these people are now linked to him.)

At dawn on Friday, three San Fernando Municipal Councilors were arrested by the police after raiding their houses.

On the basis of search warrants issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Jerry Dicdican of Branch 25 in Danao City, simultaneous raids were conducted on the homes of Edwin Villaver, Alfonso Donaire IV and Johnny Arrisgado.

All three are municipal councilors of San Fernando, a known Sabalones turf, 28 km. south of Cebu City.

Arrisgado, who is the captain of Barangay Magsico, sits as ex-officio member of the town council as president of San Fernando’s Association of Barangay Councils (ABC).

Donaire heads the town’s committee on public order and safety.

Intelligence reports claimed that the three town councilors were all connected to Sabalones and were allegedly drug protectors.

But Arma reiterated that ever since Sabalones surrendered to PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa in August last year, his client had nothing to do with any illegal drug trade.

“Almost a year na siya clean (from any illegal drug trade). In fact he is still being closely monitored,” Arma added.

(He is clean from any illegal drug trade for almost a year now. In fact he is still being closely monitored)

Although he is free, Sabalones is being monitored by Camp Crame, Arma said.

The lawyer also said that the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation against Sabalones continues.

He, however, refused to reveal the whereabouts of his client for security reasons.

Meanwhile, San Fernando Mayor Lakambini Reluya refused to comment on the arrest of the three town councilors.

“I only heard about it through the news. I want to check first the actual facts ug unsa g’yud nahitabo (what really happened ),” Reluya told Cebu Daily News.

She added she had good relationships with the three and had no problem dealing with them with regards to the programs and projects for the town.