MANILA (2ND UPDATE) - Actor Julio Diaz was arrested Friday after he was caught selling illegal drugs to a police asset in a suburb of the capital, authorities said.
Diaz, whose real name is Mariano de Leon, and his driver were arrested in his home in Barangay Langka, Meycauayan, Bulacan, said Senior Insp. Epamela Sarsaba a police spokesman.
The actor was among 50 people who were arrested in simultaneous raids in Bulacan on Friday. Thirteen people were also killed for allegedly resisting arrest.
"Ako ay nahuli sa isang bisyo. Sa aking pagkakaintindi maaaring gumamit ako pero hindi ito isang bisyo na nilamon ako...ng droga," he told radio DZMM.
(I was arrested for a vice. As far as I know, I may be a user, but I was not consumed by drugs.)
Diaz appealed for forgiveness, adding, "Bahala na ang Diyos...Hindi ko na alam."
(I leave everything up to God. I don't know.)
"Nagdadatingan yung demonyo ng tukso. Natukso talaga," he added.
(The devil of temptation came. It was temptation.)
Diaz, best known for the 1993 award-winning epic "Sakay," had previously denied taking illegal drugs after his name was included in a barangay drug watch list.
He underwent surgery in 2016 after suffering a brain aneurysm. -With a report by Doland Castro, ABS-CBN News