Consolacion cops seize P1M shabu

CEBU, Philippines - More than one million pesos worth of suspected shabu were seized during a major police operation in Consolacion, Cebu last Wednesday.

A total of 15 suspected drug personalities, including a female who was able to elude arrest last month during a buy-bust operation, were also arrested.

The operations were launched in Barangay Pulpogan, Sitio San Roque III, Barangay Lamac;  Sitio Katugasan, Barangay Casili; and and Barangay Pitogo.

A total of 90 grams of suspected shabu worth around P1.07 million, drug paraphernalia, and two unlicensed firearms were seized.

Rodmelgeson ‘Pakdert’ Pandac, 27, was intercepted by operatives in a checkpoint at the national highway in Pitogo at midnight along with motorcycle driver Mel Maglasang, 24.

The two allegedly tried to elude the checkpoint, prompting the operatives to arrest them. Upon inspection, Maglasang and Pandac yielded drug paraphernalia and suspected shabu weighing 17 grams, which was estimated to be worth P200,600.

Meanwhile, in San Roque III, Lamac, a newly identified street level drug peddlers Carlito Beliña, 56; Junrey Beliña, 36, were arrested after they yielded more than 65 grams of suspected shabu worth P773, 372. Junrey allegedly also had with him a .38 revolver with four bullets.

Senior Inspector Romeo Caacoy, Consolacion deputy chief, said the suspects divulged that they got their supply from Pasil, Cebu City.

Also arrested in the operation were Elfredo Pitogo, 36; Rholen Romano, 37; Mark Vincent Lauza, 26. They were allegedly about to have a drug session in the house of Carlito when the police arrived.

In separate operations, also arrested were Reynaldo Somosot, 56; Rey Ian Somosot, 30; Ronald Adlawan, 38; Reswin Tito, 27; Archie Cejudo, 39; Leobic Agbay, 30; Nathaniel Jayme, 21; and Lyka Villaruel, 32.

Caacoy said that most of the arrested personalities were newly identified street level drug peddlers.

Up south, around nine suspected drug personalities were arrested in separate anti-drug operations in the cities of Talisay, Naga, and Carcar also last Wednesday afternoon.

In Sitio Kintolimbo Kimba, Barangay San Roque Talisay, Dante Lopez, 23, was arrested after he yielded six packs of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation. An informant told the police on Lopez’s activity, prompting them to conduct the operation.

Hours later, in Sitio Mohon, Barangay Langtad, Naga, Romualdo Carba, 53, was allegedly caught in the act of selling illegal drugs to a police poseur buyer. Seized from his possession were three packs of suspected shabu.

His five alleged cohorts, identified as Jerry Dagudoc, 39; Amelio Racho, 25; Joramel Carba, 23; Romualdo Carba Jr., 24; and Jonjie Ybañez, 24; were also arrested.

Meanwhile, around 5:48 p.m. in Sitio Lower Tawog, Barangay Valladolid, Carcar, authorities arrested Alipio “Tabaghak” Escania Jr., 21, after a buy-bust operation after he handed to the poseur buyer a pack of shabu.

Escania, the police said, was a newly-identified drug peddler in the barangay.

Last Tuesday, Carcar police also arrested Aldrin Obiso, 26, after he was caught possessing an unlicensed .38 revolver with two bullets, and a grenade in Sitio Sangi, Barangay Guadalupe Carcar.

The police said they received an alarm on a person brandishing a gun but when they searched Obiso’s pockets after his arrest he also yielded a grenade in the right pocket of his worn shorts.

All arrested persons were detained as of press time at the stations of their respective arresting officers pending the filing of appropriate criminal complaints.  — Ermida Q. Moradas, Iris Mariani B. Algabre (FREEMAN)