Shabu, marijuana worth P4M seized in Cebu City, Bantayan

CEBU, Philippines - Authorities in Cebu City and Bantayan town scored big in the fight against illegal drugs following the arrest of noted drug personalities and confiscation of shabu and marijuana with a combined value of  at least P4 million.

In Cebu City, elements of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (CAIDSOTG) arrested Jeffrey Robin Alo, the main subject of a buy-bust operation, and Wendell Jade Marson, a resident of Barangay Suba where the operation was carried out.

Senior Insp. Eunil Avergonzado, the team leader, said Wendell's mother, Janet, was also a subject of the bust but eluded arrest.

Alo and Janet are reportedly Level 2 drug pushers.

Avergonzado said they trailed the suspects for three weeks before hatching the operation last Tuesday night at the suspects' house.

The police recovered four large heat sealed transparent plastic packs and 33 small heat sealed transparent packs of shabu weighing a total of 101.32 grams and valued at P1,195,576.

 Avergonzado said Alo's customers are laborers in the barangay.

Despite her escape, Janet will be included in the formal case.

Marijuana

Meanwhile, in the mountain barangay of Tagbao, a combined operation of the city police' Criminal Investigation Branch and Public Safety Company last Monday afternoon yielded 15 kilograms of marijuana valued at P1.8 million.

Police Chief Insp. Wildimar Tiu of the Cebu City Police Office said the 98 stalks of marijuana were uprooted from a 30-square-meter plantation in Sitio Ibo located about 21 kilometers from the main road. The team reportedly walked six kilometers from the road to a river and another 15 kilometers to the plantation.

There, the team saw that the soil was well cultivated and recovered fertilizers and garden tools.

Tiu said it appeared as if the stalks were ready to be harvested.

"May gani naabtan pa namo didto kay padong na pang-ibton para ma process na para sa market" Tiu said.

About 20 meters away from the plantation, the team found a hut, which Tiu said was most likely occupied by the caretaker. The team found newly cooked rice at the hut, which indicated that the caretaker was present at that time and may have fled when he or she noticed the police's presence.

Tiu said Barangay Tigbao is now considered a watch list area. He said they are coordinating with the barangay's officials to identify the owner of the plantation.

Bantayan island

In Bantayan town in Bantayan Island in northern Cebu, a buy bust operation last Tuesday afternoon led to the arrest of Benjie Mancao, 40, a councilman of Barangay Anapog, San Remigio who was found with eight small packs, two medium packs, and three large packs of shabu.

The items weighed a total of 95 grams and valued at P1,120,764.

Members of the Bantayan Police carried out the bust in Barangay Lipayran together with elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7.

PO1 Jay Desucatan of the Bantayan Police said Mancao sustained a gunshot wound to his right leg when PO2 Isabelo Caracena shot him when Mancao pulled out his gun when the poseur-buyer, PO1 Reynold Abello, introduced himself as a cop.

Desucatan said Mancao had with him a .45 caliber pistol in the sling bag he was carrying during the bust.

Aside from the packs of shabu, the police also confiscated the P1,000 bust money from Mancao.

Desucatan said Mancao is in the police watch list.

Mancao was brought to the Bogo City District Hospital for treatment before he was detained at the Bantayan Police Station. He is facing drug charges and another case for violating the Comelec gun ban. (FREEMAN)