By Jennifer P. Rendon
A man who claimed to be a “no read, no write” person was arrested in a police anti-narcotics operation early morning of Dec. 8 in Arevalo, Iloilo City.
The suspect was identified as Janjan Flor, 39, a resident of Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao but is temporarily staying at his live-in partner’s house in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo.
Members of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RPDEU-6), together with personnel from the Iloilo City Police Office – City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU), collared the suspect for allegedly selling three sachets of suspected shabu for P45,000 along C1 Road in Barangay Sooc around 1:25 a.m. Friday.
Subsequent frisking led to the recovery of 12 more sachets and eight knot-tied plastic bags containing suspected shabu, a coin purse containing P1,000, a mobile phone, a plastic pouch, and a brown envelope.
Police also confiscated the suspect’s Suzuki Burgman motorcycle.
Captain Glenn Soliman, RPDEU-6 team leader, said the seized drugs weighed around 600 grams with a standard drug price of P4,080,000.
Soliman said they’re still checking if the suspect’s real name is indeed JanJan Flor.
No identification document was taken from the suspect’s possession.
Soliman said the suspect claimed he was unschooled and couldn’t write or read.
“Based on the information we got, he only transacts through calls,” he said.
Police are also checking reports that the suspect had been arrested and detained for a murder case in 2004 and was released in 2011.
Soliman said it is possible that his murder case was downgraded to a homicide charge.
While considered as illiterate, Flor was not arrested in several attempts made by different police units.
He had no prior drug-related apprehension until Friday’s arrest.
Soliman said the suspect allegedly sourced his supply from a distributor in Iloilo City.
Flor is now detained and will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
