THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-18 is continuously monitoring the activities of Bacolod City top drug personality Gerald Cuadra after he was released from detention, following the dismissal of his drug case and after he posted bail for illegal possession of firearms.
Chief Inspector Dianne Grace Catedral, public information officer of PRO-18, said they will continue to place Cuadra under surveillance.
Cuadra, who is under the drugs watchlist of Bacolod City Police Office and PRO-18, was detained at the Special Intensive Care Area (MBDJ-Sica) for about three months.
Jail Officer 3 Danny Goboli, paralegal officer of MBDJ-Sica, said the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) released Cuadra on September 21 after they received a copy of the resolution dated September 19 signed by Judge Therese Blanche Bolunia of Regional Trial Court Branch 47, dismissing his drug case.
In a three page resolution, the court said, “with the nullity of the search warrant, the recovered alleged evidence from the house of Cuadra is inadmissible in court. As such, there is no corpus delicti to speak of or to prove the charges of possession of dangerous drugs against him. Without said evidence, the court sees no reason to further continue trying the case.”
Cuadra was charged for violation of Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, after police operatives raided his house in Barangay 1, Bacolod City last May by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Manuel Cardinal Jr. of RTC Branch 43.
The operation led to the recovery of P1.25 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and drug paraphernalia.
Prior to the said resolution, Cuadra has already posted bail for his case for violation of Section 28 of Republic Act 10591 or Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Goboli said Cuadra posted a bail of P40,000 after which he was ordered released by Judge Eduardo Sayson of RTC Branch 54 on September 16.
Catedral said Cuadra’s release is considered to be “unfortunate” on the part of the police after they exerted efforts in identifying big drug personalities and in conducting surveillance and preparing of pieces of evidence and documentary requirements to support the filing of the case.
However, she acknowledged that there are instances that are beyond the control of the police.
“We have no choice but to follow the court order,” Catedral said.
