By Jennifer P. Rendon
A pedicab driver was in tears as he claimed no knowledge that he was carrying a sachet of suspected shabu placed inside a pack of chips intended for an inmate.
Fox John Gonzales, 25, a resident of Rizal Lapuz Sur, Iloilo City, claimed that he was merely hired to bring a bag of groceries to a certain Mark Pajate, a detainee at the Iloilo City Police Station 2 (Lapaz) lock-up cell.
Gonzales went to the police station around 1:10 p.m. on August 13 and underwent a normal checking of items for inmates.
Among the grocery items were seven packs of chips.
Patrolman Christian Ting Amoroso said he noticed a small hole in a pack of Piattos chips.
Amoroso subsequently asked permission from Gonzales if he could open it.
When the “suspicious” item was opened, Ting found a plastic sachet of suspected shabu and three foil strips.
When confronted, Gonzales denied knowing about the shabu.
He pointed to a certain Rommel Carnillo, a tricycle driver, and Irene Mapa as the one who asked him to deliver the grocery.
Gonzales’s family claimed that there might have been individuals who took advantage of the fact that the suspect is mentally challenged.
But Mapa denied knowledge that she was the one who asked Gonzales to bring the grocery to Pajate.
The suspect is now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
