THE going “ins and outs” of Negros Island Region (NIR) top drug suspect Ricky Serenio from the detention cell of Talisay City Police Station is “legal,” an official of the Negros Island Police Regional Office (PRO) said Friday.
Before Serenio, who linked several high-ranking policemen and other law enforcers to the illegal drug trade, was put under the custody of Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña and his son, Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña, he was detained at the Talisay police station for few days.
During his stay there, Serenio was taken out of the detention cell several times by the Regional Special Operations Task Group (RSOTG) and the Special Action Force (SAF), as recorded in the blotter entry of the police station.
Senior Superintendent Mariano Natu-el Jr., PRO deputy regional director for operations, said Serenio was released by the police station to RSOTG and SAF for “interrogation and further extraction” of information, which was done inside an “exclusive room.”
He also said that Serenio had to execute a sworn statement in the presence of his lawyer.
Natu-el said that it was not illegal as his release from the police station was recorded in the police station.
Moreover, he dismissed the reports that Serenio was tortured during the interrogation.
He said it is not true, adding that there were no signs of abuse on the suspect.
Serenio, who is believed to be the bagman of Berya drug group, was arrested on January 8 at Talisay City when he was served with warrant for grave coercion.
He is now detained at the Pulupandan Municipal Police Station.