“Pusher” falls; marijuana planter nabbed

CEBU, Philippines - Police pounced on a suspected drug pusher who reportedly sold a pack of shabu to an undercover policeman and was seized with more drugs during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tejero Monday night.

Elements of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (CAIDSOTG) arrested Erel Pizaras, 29, in possession of five packs of suspected shabu worth P50,000.

Pizaras, a resident of Duterte St., Barangay Guadalupe, was arrested after he handed over a pack of shabu to CAIDSOTG operative who acted as poseur buyer.

CAIDSOTG chief Eunil Avergonzado said a two-week surveillance was conducted on the suspect after being tipped of his illegal drug activities in Barangay Tejero, particularly in sitio Villagonzalo Dos.

Pizaras denied the allegation saying that the woman who owns the house where he was supposed to fix the tiles was actually the one engaged in the illegal drug trade.

But according to the police, it was Pizaras who handed over the pack of shabu to one of the operatives.

The suspect is temporarily detained at the Cebu City police stockade while waiting for the filing of the complaint for violating the RA 9165 otherwise known as Dangerous Drugs Act of  2002.

Meanwhile, at least 1,500 fully grown marijuana plants worth P150,000 were uprooted in Badian town yesterday morning.

The joint operatives of the Provincial Intelligence Branch and the Provincial Investigation Detective and Management Branch also arrested the alleged cultivator, Amancio Intese, 60.

The police confiscated a .38 revolver with six bullets from the suspect. Intese’s son, Claudio, 23, eluded arrest.

Operatives immediately conducted an operation following information about the marijuana plantation at the secluded and mountain barangay of Lugsangan. Three other plantations were also raided by the joint PIB and PIDMB operatives.

Sr. Insp. Wilson Abot, team leader of the PIB, said the plantation is located at the foot of a cliff about five kilometers away from the barangay road.

Intese denied cultivating the illegal plants but Abot said they have informants pointing to him as the alleged caretaker.

 The police are preparing the criminal complaint for violation of Section 16 of RA 9165 or Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against Intese and his son. A separate case for illegal possession of firearm will be filed against the father. —- (FREEMAN)