9 nabbed in PNP drug busts

CEBU, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has started operating against illegal drugs after they are back in the government’s anti-illegal drugs war.

Last Monday, Danao City police arrested seven drug personalities in a series of buy bust operations.

Five among the seven arrested suspects are considered as street level drug pushers. They were identified as Charles Murillo, Jason James Gica, Junrie Sabas, Loreto Montalban Jr., and Ronquillo Banzon.

Two men suspected drug users were also caught in the operation identified as Welgie Galo, and Jerry Enriquez.

Seized were a total of 27 small packs of suspected shabu with an estimated value worth P17, 000.

Chief Insp. Gerard Ace Pelare, Danao City Police Station chief, said they are intensifying their police operations against drug personalities in the city now that they are back in the drug war.

All the arrested suspects are detained in Danao City Police lock-up cell and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

In Talisay City, two were arrested during a checkpoint operation conducted by police Tuesday night in Barangay Tanke.

The suspects identified as Maero Makausor and Nathaniel Empuerto allegedly have in their possession packs of white powder believed to be shabu.

Makausor, a native of Marawi City and temporarily residing in Barangay Tabunok was flagged down for driving a motorcycle with no headlight and no side mirror.

Police later discovered that Makausor has no driver's license.

A pack of suspected shabu was recovered from his possession.

Minutes later, Empuerto, 36, of Barangay Cansojong,Talisay City was arrested after he allegedly jumped from the trisikad he was riding when he saw the police.

Seized from him were five packs of white powder believed to be shabu.

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has enough resources that they can use in conducting anti-drugs operations until the end of the year.

This is the assurance of Supt. Reyman Tolentin, spokesman of PRO-7, after the PNP is again tasked to implement the government’s fight against illegal drugs.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is expected to be back in the anti-illegal drugs operation next week after personnel of the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) finished their refresher seminar according to CCPO Deputy City Director Supt. Artemio Ricabo.

The seminar will be facilitated by the Commission of Human Rights (CHR).

There will be 30 to 50 personnel who will compose the CDEU while each of the 11 stations of CCPO will have three teams, each composed of 5 to 15 police personnel.

The former DEUs were dissolved after President Rodrigo Duterte assigned the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as the sole agency responsible for illegal drug operations last October 10.

Ricabo also said they will be using the six body cameras donated to them by the SugbuTek Inc.

Meanwhile, CHR-7 chief Arvin Odron commended the initiative of the CCPO in sending their personnel to a refresher course related to human rights.

“I commend the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), through City Director PS Supt. Joel B. Doria, for requiring the members of the Drug Enforcement Unit to undergo a human rights seminar before they are dispatch in relation to the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the government,” said Odron.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Edgar Alan Okubo also said that they are also conducting reorientation of their DEU personnel. (FREEMAN)