LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – The couriers of the P136-million shabu, which was intercepted at Matnog port on Thursday morning, said that someone offered them P300,000 each in exchange of the delivery of illegal drugs in Negros.
During the presentation of the arrested suspects and recovered at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional office on Friday morning, suspects Jose Lani “Dong” Racaza and Irish dela Peña, cousins from Muntinlupa City, disclosed that prior to their arrest, they transacted with a person for the delivery of 20 kilos of shabu to Negros in exchange for P300,000.
“May nagbigay po sa amin niyan tapos i-deliver daw sa Negros at mayroon susundo sa amin doon. Kapalit po ay babayaran kami ng P300,000 bawat isa,” Racaza said.
He admitted they knew that the luggage they were carrying were filled with high-grade of shabu but insisted that it’s their first time to deliver illegal drugs.
Irish said that she was convinced to accept the job because she does not have any source of income since her husband is in jail.
“Wala po kasi akong trabaho. Maliliit pa ‘yung mga anak ko. Di ko po alam kung ano na mangyayari sa kanila. Heto na, nandito na ako. Nangyari na ito,” she said while crying.
The suspects narrated that they were only given money for transportation expenses. The owner of the illegal drug had promised to deliver to them the R300,000 payment in Negros.
“Sumakay po kami sa bus doon na sa Alabang sa Poblacion papunta po dito,” Racaza continued.
PDEA Bicol regional director Christian Frivaldo said that the suspects did not undergo security inspections since they rode a bus outside the terminal.
“Luckily, with coordination and intelligence report, we intercepted this huge quantity of illegal drugs intended for Visayas region,” Frivaldo said. (Nino Luces)
