By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Former Police Station 2 (PS2) commander, Police Chief Inspector Edison Garcia, dismissed claims made by former Berya drug group member Ricky Serenio linking him to the Berya drug group.
According to the recently released supplemental affidavit, Serenio met with Garcia after he replaced Police Senior Inspector Lanel Lanado, who was killed in a vehicular accident in 2015.
He said Garcia asked him how much Lanado was receiving, to which he replied P30,000. They reportedly agreed to the payout and met every week at a popular cafe and pastry shop along Lacson Street.
In a radio interview with Bombo Radyo-Bacolod, yesterday morning, Garcia denied both meeting Serenio and receiving P30,000 a week from the drug group.
He added PS2 being named “Best Police Station” is enough proof he was not involved in illegal activity. However, he did confirm one of the police officers named by Serenio did serve under his command at the said station.
Garcia said he plans to file criminal charges against Serenio.
Meanwhile, former La Carlota City police deputy and current Valladolid municipal police chief, Police Senior Inspector Junji Liba, corroborated Serenio’s claim that he was “antagonistic” towards the Berya group.
Liba said Serenio tried to bribe him when he was deputy commander, which he refused, indicating the incident occurred “sometime between 2015 and 2016.”
He also clarified he is only speaking on his behalf and not the other cops named in the supplemental affidavit.
Over the weekend, Serenio’s camp released their supplemental affidavit alleging additional links between Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) Director, Police Senior Superintendent William Señoron, and several other high ranking law enforcement officials with the Berya drug group and slain Iloilo drug lord Melvin Odicta, Sr.
Besides the allegations against the police, he also detailed how drugs are distributed throughout different towns and cities in Negros Occidental.
Señoron has already denied the allegations, adding he is seeking legal counsel in order to file a criminal case against Serenio.
Serenio was arrested in Talisay City in January of this year, after the court issued an arrest warrant for the charge of grave coercion.
However, he was released from prison last Thursday, after posting bail for his criminal charges. Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18) spokesperson, Police Senior Inspector Armilyn Vargas, said, although Serenio is temporarily free, he is currently at an undisclosed location in Pulupandan./WDJ