3 killed, 7 arrested in drug buy-busts

CEBU, Philippines - Three suspected drug personalities were killed and seven others, including a former barangay councilor, were arrested in separate anti-drug operations in Cordova town and in the cities of Naga, Talisay, and Cebu in the past three days.

The fatalities were identified as Michael “Macky” Pacaña, 35, of Barangay Lanas, City of Naga; Oscar Encabo, of Barangay Bairan, Naga; and Ronald Aznar, of Labucay Street, Mabolo, Cebu City.

Aznar was shot dead last night by the operatives of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency during an operation in Mabolo. Aznar allegedly posed himself as PDEA agent and tried to resist arrest when accosted by the real narcotics agents.

The police also conducted buy-bust operation against Pacaña in Lanas around 9:40 p.m. last Tuesday. Police Officer 2 Fernando Mata said Pacaña and Encabo are street-level pushers who were under surveillance for some time.

During the operation, while the buy-bust transaction was ongoing, Pacaña noticed that he was transacting with the police. He allegedly tried to elude arrest and then fired his gun at the policemen, with Encabo, acting as backup, likewise doing the same.

The shootout lasted not more than 30 seconds wherein both suspects were critically injured. Both were brought at Minglanilla District Hospital but they did not make it there alive.

The police recovered a .38 revolver with two bullets and two spent shells, a .357 revolver with a bullet, three misfired bullets, and two bullet shells, two deformed cartridges, seven spent cartridges, four small packs of suspected shabu, and a Rusi (GE89753) and a Yamaha (7813 GO) motorcycles.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Talisay City the same day, four three-level targets were arrested in a buy-bust operation In Sitio Magay, Barangay Tangke around 3:20 p.m.

The police identified them as Charlie Padillo 32; Alvin “Abe” Rufo, 45; Eugene Cabando, 37; and Pedro “Peter” Gasalatan, 28, all residents of the said place.

The police said Padillo, who was under surveillance for a week, was the target of the operation.

Authorities recovered 53 small packs and a medium pack of suspected shabu weighing 7.72 grams worth P26,248 from the suspects.

Arrested were now detained at the station’s custodial for filing of appropriate charges.

In Cordova town Monday evening, the police arrested in a buy-bust operation former Gabi, Cordova barangay councilor Jurico “Rico” Rendal after he allegedly sold a pack of suspected shabu to a police poseur-buyer in Purok 2, Gabi.

When frisked, Rendal also yielded eight more packs of suspected shabu.

Senior Inspector Clemente Ceralde, Cordova police chief, said that the ex-barangay official was a drug surrenderer in their station.

Allegedly, the suspect has been in the illegal drug activities for quite some time already and has been warned by the police chief to stop or else he will be arrested.

“Pinatawag ko iyan tapos kinausap ko na tumigil na siya. Ayun nag ‘oo’ naman na titigil na nga daw siya pero may reports tayong natanggap na bumalik nga sa dati niyang gawain,” said Ceralde.

Rendal’s name was confessed by one of the arrested suspects in a previous police operation in Cordova, which prompted the operatives to immediately conduct a follow-up operation leading to the former barangay official’s arrest.

Allegedly, the suspect has contacts inside the Cebu Provincial Detention Cell in which he served as middleman.

He allegedly acts as collector of all the proceeds of illegal drugs outside the jail, according to Ceralde.

“May mga nakuha kaming mga pera padala receipts sa kanya, mayroon din sa cellphone niya,” Ceralde said.

In Cebu City also last Tuesday, Domil Arias Sabeti and Brian Melandres Lariosa, both 32 and from Sitio Filter Site, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, were arrested during an anti-illegal drug operation in their place past 9 p.m.

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) City Intelligence Branch operatives led by Chief Inspector Christopher Navida said they received information on illegal drug transactions in Filter Site and immediately went to the area.

He said they saw both men in an interior portion of the area in open possession allegedly of illegal drugs, prompting them to approach and arrest them.

Sabeti and Lariosa yielded four medium packs of suspected shabu weighing around 20 grams and worth at least P236,000.

Navida said the two are on their list of high-value targets. He said they had been receiving reports on illegal drug operations in the area.

He said the two suspects can distribute up to 20 grams of illegal drugs in a week in barangays Duljo Fatima, Pasil, Suba, Sawang Calero, and Sambag II.

Navida added that the CCTV camera access of San Nicolas Police Station can be an asset in monitoring other drug personalities surrounding the area. — Iris Mariani B. Algabre, Ermida Q. Moradas, Mae Clydyl L. Avila, and Rowena Capistrano (FREEMAN)