A POLICEMAN who has linked two retired generals to the illegal drugs trade was found dead in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu late Friday evening.
The decomposing body of PO2 Ryan Casiban, 37, bore a gun shot wound in the head.
He was reported missing on Wednesday after he left the Cordova police station at around 3 a.m. Close to five hours after, his uniform, M-16 armalite rifle, and motorcycle were found abandoned in Barangay Babag II.
In his last entries on the police station’s blotter, Casiban wrote that retired Deputy Director-General Marcelo Garbo and retired Chief Supt. Vicente Loot “protected” drug syndicates.
“Gen. Garbo and Gen. Loot are drug syndicate of the Phils. Because of money protected by his men, PNP organization to stop illegal drugs,” read Casiban’s entry which he signed.
In another entry which he also signed, Casiban wrote: “I want to write what is justice for all to stop all illegal drugs. God is in me.”
Garbo and Loot, now mayor of Daanbantayan town, Cebu, were among the five alleged narco-generals earlier named by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation said a brother of Caloocan Vice Mayor Macario Asistio eluded arrest during a raid Thursday night on a drug den that Luisito Asistio allegedly runs.
Joel Tovera, head of the NBI’s anti-illegal drugs division, said his team arrested three other persons but remained on the lookout for Asistio.
Tovera said NBI agents found drug paraphernalia, three plastic sachets containing white crystalline residue, a plastic bag with dried green leaves, another with dried seeds, and a metal container labeled “Department of Finance” that contained more dried leaves.
Arsenio Pascual IV, an architect who owned the house where the items were found, was arrested, along with his girlfriend Sharlot Isip and Michael Gerez, who claimed to be just visiting at the time the raid was launched.
All three, however, tested positive for drug use, Tovera said.
Charges for operating a drug den, possession of illegal drugs, and illegal possession of ammunition were set to be filed against Asistio and Pascual while Gerez and Isip will be sued for drug use, the NBI said.
