Included on drug watch list: Danao City jail officer shot dead

CEBU, Philippines -  A jail officer included on the drug watch list of Danao City Police Station was ambushed and killed yesterday morning by an unknown assailant in Sitio San Antonio, Barangay Guinsay, Danao City.

Jail Officer 2 Celso Montalba 48, a resident of Barangay Sabang, was on his way to work at the Danao City Jail after sending his child to school when he was ambushed after passing a deserted area.

Montalba succumbed to two gunshot wounds to his forehead, two to his chest and three to his arms.

Police recovered one large pack of suspected shabu weighing 10 grams worth P121,540 from Montalba's pocket and seven empty cartridge of a caliber .45 pistol.

The gunman also left a sign on Montalba's body saying "BJMP PUSHER AKO, AYAW KO NINYO SUNDA, IKAW SUNOD."

Danao City Police Station chief Senior Inspector Alejandro Batobalonos confirmed that Montalba was included on the station's drug watch list and was identified as "high value target."

Batobalonos said before he became the chief of police in the city, Montalba was already included on the station's watch list and was allegedly actively involved in the illegal drug trade.

The police also conducted Oplan Tokhang at the Danao City Jail, but the authorities did not see any sign that Montalba was going to surrender. "Hinoon nakasabot pud ko nganong wala siya mi-surrender kay jail guard baya siya, basin maulaw. Pero kanang ngalan niya permi na mogawas every time naa mi madakpan sa buy bust, ma- link gyud," Batobalonos disclosed.

Meanwhile, at least 340 individuals has vowed to take part in the Mamama-yan Ayaw sa Anomaliya, Mamamayan Ayaw sa Ilegal na Droga (MASA MASID) program of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) adopted by the Talisay Police force.

The program, launched yesterday and led by the Talisay City Police Station, was attended by police representatives from Minglanilla, Naga City, San Fernando, Carcar City and Sibonga. 

Volunteers for the program, mostly barangay tanods, came from the 22 barangays in Talisay City.

The program is a community-based initiative that encourages civilians and officials to volunteer and engage in the fight against criminality, corruption and most especially illegal drugs.

Talisay City chief of police, Superintendent Aileen Recla, said that the volunteers will serve as information gatherers and will the police regarding illegal drug operations in their barangay.

In Lapu-Lapu City, 17 individuals from the 1,700 drug surrenderers will start working for the city government as job-order employees, said Mayor Paz Radaza.

Radaza said the drug surrenderers who underwent the city's program against illegal drugs worked hard to turn their backs from the prohibited activity.

 "As what I have observed, nga ni-focus gyud sila, nga it's really a diversion from dili mao nga bis-yo. They're really working. I told them effective October 1, ako sila i-job order," Radaza told reporters in a recent press conference.

She added that other drug surrenderers were not able to finish their program as most of them have busy schedules.

"Gi-intervention gud sila. Wa naman sila. If pugson, it will really take our time pud. Wa na ta'y mahimo," she added.

The 17 surrenderers will be placed under Material Recovery Facility located in Barangay Mactan, according to Radaza.

In the past few months, the City Social Welfare Department, together with the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, has created a program that will help the drug surrenderers to turn their backs against illegal drugs.

Radaza said that surrenderers, who are monitored by their barangay officials, were made to create foot-paths, channelizers, christmas decors and gardening. They were also paid P250 a day.  (FREEMAN)