Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan interrogates Ricky Berdin, 28 years old, who was arrested on Monday, Sept. 26 for selling rugby to young street-dwellers.
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu police arrested on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, a man who allegedly supplies rugby to street-dwelling minors near the Lapu-Lapu City Public Market.
The suspect was identified as Ricky Berdin, 28 years old, a resident of Sitio Humay-Humay, Barangay Gun-ob of the city.
A plastic bottle and several plastic bags containing rugby were confiscated from the suspect.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan personally joined the operation.
Berdin said that he would sell a plastic bag of rugby to minors at P10 each.
“Usahay kung dili ko mobaligya sa mga bata, ila man kong kulatahon. Pero mangartunay ra gyud ko diri,” Berdin said.
The suspect was already imprisoned before due to his involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Berdin was allegedly the one who supplied rugby to the four young individuals, who robbed Veronica Espinosa, a person with disability (PWD), on Sunday evening, Sept. 25, 2022, at Muelle Osmeña in Barangay Poblacion.
The robbers took P630 from Espinosa, which was her income from caroling.
However, one of the suspects was arrested on Monday morning, while the remaining suspects surrendered later that day.
Cleve Villarosa Ardiente, 18 years old, one of the suspects, was currently in custody at Police Station 3 while the remaining suspects, who were minors, were brought to the Home Care Center in Barangay Poblacion.
“Akong isiguro nga ilang atubangon ang silot nga angay para kanila aron masulod sa ilang alimpatakan nga dili ug dili gayud ako mo-tolerate niining sayop nga mga binuhatan. Unta magsilbi kining bug-at nga mensahe para sa uban nga isip amahan sa syudad, dili ako mosugot nga adunay pipila nga gawasnon kaayu nga mobuhat og krimen ug mopahimulos sa uban,” Chan said.
Chan also hopes that the arrest of Berdin will cut the supply of rugby to the minors, which affects their mental wellness.
He also congratulated the PNP for the successful operation.
“Salamat sa atong Station 3, police officers, intels, nga nagmalampuson ang atong pagdakop aning tawhana,” he added. /rcg
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