5 arrested with guns in San Francisco

CEBU, Philippines — At least five persons, including a Dutch national, were arrested for illegal possession of firearms in separate raids conducted by virtue of search warrants in San Francisco town last Wednesday.

Jimmy Ibot, Hansel Densig, Benjie Castrado, and Alan Otadoy were caught in possession of four .45 caliber pistols and a .357 magnum revolver around 10 a.m.

The four are said to be members of a criminal group known as Otadoy Group who are operating as guns-for-hire.

Meanwhile, Senior Police Officer 1 Richard Superior of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region-7 said Niklaas Vondeling, 60, originally from Rotterdam, Netherlands, was caught in possession of two .45 caliber pistols, one 12-gauge shotgun, and a 9mm pistol.

Superior added that Vondeling and his common-law wife are said to be in San Francisco with plans of building a resort.  The search warrants were issued based on reports received by the CIDG-7.

Those arrested are now detained at the CIDG-7 as further investigation is being conducted on Otadoy Group members to determine if they are involved in riding-in-tandem incidents here in mainland Cebu.

Drug Arrests

Four suspected drug pushers were arrested in two separate buy-bust operations in Danao City, while an ex-convict was arrested in Carcar City for illegal possession of suspected shabu.

The Danao City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) personnel and a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team conducted two buy-bust operations yesterday which led to the arrest of suspected drug pushers Christian Alvaro Sanchez and Dario Mangas Matiga at Taboc, Looc, Danao City at around 1:49 a.m.

The police also arrested Lloyd Penas Singculan and Joselito Almacen Batulan along Olivar St., Poblacion, Danao City in another operation at 12:24 a.m.

According to Police Inspector Gerard Pelare, Danao City Police Station acting chief, the suspects are newly-identified drug pushers.

The suspects have been monitored for a month by the Danao City police before the buy-bust operation was conducted.

During the two operations, the police confiscated 20 small packs of suspected shabu amounting to P13,000 and P650 believed to be proceeds from the illegal trade.

Police Officer 3 Phil Restauro, Chief Intel of Danao's Drug Enforcement Unit, said that these small-time pushers can dispose of 5-10 grams per week.

Restauro also added that they are now focusing on these small-time pushers as they are becoming more rampant than large-scale sellers.

In Carcar City, an ex-convict was arrested for possession of suspected shabu.

Clemaco Alcover Alenton, 50, was arrested in Sitio Cambuntan, Barangay Bolinawan, Carcar City yesterday at around 1:30 p.m.

Confiscated from Alenton were four sachets of suspected shabu weighing .15 grams amounting to a market value of P3,540.

Alenton was detained at the Abuyog Penal Colony in Leyte but managed to escape.

He was jailed for various cases including theft and illegal possession of firearms.  (FREEMAN)