Slain suspected dealer’s brothers yield to police

RELIEF. Galy Secretaria, brother of slain suspected drug dealer Rowen Secretaria smiles inside the Carbon police precinct as he shows his Duterte baller to media. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Two brothers of slain alleged drug dealder Rowen Secretaria surrendered to the Carbon police yesterday.

Michael and Galy Secretaria went to the Ermita gymnasium where the Carbon police conducted an Oplan TukHang (Tuktok Hangyo or Knock and Request) in areas where suspected drug users and dealers are, and they turned themselves in.

Four others who had relations with Secretaria also coordinated with the police.

They are Secretaria’s former live-in partner, Analyn Ariza Tejano, and identified accomplices Harold Behasa, Jerome Abanto and Boyet Aparece.

Of the four, Galy and Harold Behasa were detained at the Carbon police precinct since they have existing arrest warrants for frustrated murder. They will be brought to court tomorrow.

Galy said he chose to surrender, so he could start life anew.

“Ganahan ko magbag-o. (I want to change my life),” he said. Behasa said he doesn’t want to be killed.

“Nahadlok ko sa akong kinabuhi labi na nga duna pa ko’y gagmayng mga anak (I fear for my life, especially that I still have little kids),” he said.

Secretaria, the third most wanted drug personality in Central Visayas was shot down by Cebu-based policemen on Banacon Island in Getafe town, Bohol last May 28.

PO2 Raydale Sardual of Carbon police said they were happy that Secretaria’s brothers and cohorts cooperated with them.

“It’s hard to find them so we were glad they cooperated with us,” he said.

Since the police implemented Opan TukHang last Thursday, at least 285 self-confessed drug peddlers and users voluntarily cooperated with them.

TukHang is short for “tuktok-hangyo,” an operation wherein police officers visit drug personalities and convince them to discontinue using or selling illegal drugs.

Persons who cooperated with the police were recorded and interrogated.

Except for those with existing arrest warrants, they were allowed to go home after.

Yesterday, 83 persons surrendered to the Mambaling police during their Oplan Tukhang at the barangay gymnasium.

In the province, Senior Supt. Clifford Gairanod, Cebu provincial police chief, refuted reports that five policemen from Danao City were arrested due to alleged links to suspected drug dealer Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro.

Gairanod said he talked with the Danao City police chief who told him that the report has no basis at all.

He said it was former 5th District Rep. Ace Durano who gave the information. Durano already rectified his earlier statement. Gairanod said he did not know where the original source of information came from.

But he believed that drug syndicates wanted to destroy the police due to the success of Oplan TukHang which has affected their operations.

CPPO will submit its week-long anti-drug operation after the turnover of command at the Police Regional Office 7 that is scheduled tomorrow.

Chief Supt. Patrocinio Comendador was among the police officials affected by the major revamp ordered by PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa. “I have no problem if I am transferred,” Gairanod said.

Elsewhere in the province, 37 suspected drug users and dealers surrendered in the towns of San Fernando, Minglanilla and San Francisco, Camotes Island this week.

San Fernando police Precinct Chief Insp. Richard Gadingan said 10 suspects surrendered to them despite not being issued a warrant while Chief Insp. Franco Rudolf Oriol said seven suspected drug dealers and 14 suspected users turned themselves in.

In San Francisco, Camotes Island, Senior Insp. Philip John Libres said six persons were persuaded to give up a life of drug use and peddling.