Jaguar cohorts nabbed in drug den raid

CEBU, Philippines - The alleged cohorts of slain suspected drug lord Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz were arrested by operatives Tuesday evening in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City.

The four drug suspects — Ronald Arquillano, Christopher Tautho, Jommel Sarvida, and Charleston Lunda – were nabbed after the agents of National Bureau of Investigation-7 raided a house that they used as a drug den located near a public school in Labangon.

Those arrested were brought to the NBI office in Cebu City where they are detained. A case has already been filed against them before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office Wednesday for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The agents recovered from the suspects packs of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P100,000 and drug paraphernalia.

NBI-7 Director Patrico Bernales said Arquillano was placed under surveillance for a month after receiving a tip that he is involved in illegal drug operations.

Arquillano, a welder, admitted that he used to sell shabu before but he has already stopped.

“Igo ra ko gisugo nga magpalit, kaning nag ngalan og Edmund… Magpapalit siya og usa ka bulto nya dayon nalangay gani kay nag ulan atong panahona mao to pag-abot nako mao na’y nahitabo,” he said.

He said he knows it is illegal but he has to provide for his family’s daily needs. He has four children.

“Taud-taud nako nawala ani mao na lagi usahay mapasubo tungod kay wala’y trabaho lagi,” he said.

Also in Cebu City, Rey Sagarino Rebollos alias Rey Boy, 41, of Barangay Bacayan was arrested after being caught selling dangerous drugs in a buy-bust operation at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Police Station 8 in Barangay Talamban received a phone call from a concerned citizen informing them about the illegal drug activities of a certain “Rey Boy” along the road in Sitio Huyong-Huyong in Barangay Bacayan.

This prompted a police team to verify the report and proceed to the area where they saw a male, fitting the description given by the concerned citizen, who was busy catering to alleged customers.

The police then carried out their plan to conduct a buy-bust operation with a police agent acting as a poseur-buyer.

During the transaction, the police decoy handed the P500 marked money to Rebollos in exchange for a sachet of suspected shabu. 

The police agent then signaled his colleagues that the transaction has been completed.

Following the arrest of Rebollos, police frisked him and recovered two more sachets of suspected shabu.

Police disclosed that Rebollos was a surrenderer of their station but has continued with his illegal trade.

In another operation, personnel of Taboan Police Station arrested Frederick Bautista, 37, of Barangay Suba after he allegedly sold to a police decoy a sachet of shabu for P200.

His alleged cohort, identified as Charles Ledesma, managed to elude arrest.

Seized from Bautista were sachets of shabu weighing 2.87 grams and valued at P33, 866.

All suspects are now under police custody pending the filing of criminal complaints against them for violations of the Republic Act 916 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002). — Kristine B. Quintas and Michael Vencynth H. Braga (FREEMAN)