Father arrested for illegal drugs: I only wanted to give my daughter a bright future

38-year-old Roland Cabasaan (in striped shirt) is arrested by members of the police force after being caught with packs of suspected shabu on Monday night, February 10, 2020, in Barangay Hipodromo, Cebu City. | via Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines—He wanted to give his daughter a bright future.

Now, 38-year-old Roland Cabasaan might not be able to do that as he, along with two others, were arrested in a buy-bust operation late Monday night, February 10, 2020, in Sitio San Roque, Barangay Hipodromo here.

Packs of suspected shabu worth at least P4.5 million were found from Cabasan’s possession.

Also arrested were Rodel Dungog, 24, and Eduardo Chavez, 45, who, like Cabasan, lives in the village where they were nabbed. 

In an interview with CDN Digital, Cabasan, at first, denied the drugs were his. He went on with the usual alibi that the illegal items were only left for safekeeping.

But when asked about his daughter, Cabasan suddenly fell silent. Then he admitted.

“Namaligya bitaw gyud ko. Tungod lang gyud nis ka pobrehon. Gusto lang ko naay kaugmaon akong anak” he said.

(I admit that I was selling. It’s because we were poor and I want a better future for my child.)

Cabasan said before his child was born in 2019, he had a part time job as a cosmetics seller.

He said after his child was born, he believed he couldn’t give the child a good life with what he was earning as a cosmetics seller. That’s when he turned to selling illegal drugs through a friend’s recommendation.

At first, he only sold small amounts by sachets. But as months passed by, he was able to distribute half a kilo every week.

Then soon he met others who became his cohorts, Dungog and Chavez.

Police Major Juanito Alaras, chief of Mabolo Police Station, told CDN Digital that they have been monitoring the whereabouts of Cabasan since November 2019.

Alaras said it took them about three months to arrest Cabasan as the suspect has specific targets and amount of drugs to be delivered.

“Hunong-hunong sad ni iyang pag baligya mao dugay mi naka confirm,” said Alaras.

(He also stops selling from time to time, which is the reason why it took us a while to confirm.)

A case for violating section 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165 or peddling and possession of illegal drugs will be filed against Cabasan, who is temporarily detained at the Mabolo Police Station.

Now that Cabasan is in jail, his daughter will be left under the care of her grandmother, Cabasan’s mother.

Cabasan didn’t mention anything about the mother of the child or if he had a wife or not.

He did have one wish for his daughter, though. 

“Dili lang unta siya ma pareho sa iyahang papa,” said Cabasan. 

(I just hope she doesn’t end up like her father.) / bmjo