Cops bust fraternity rites; 2 arrested with marijuana

CEBU, Philippines - Dried marijuana plants worth P40,000, assorted caliber of firearms, ammunitions and items reportedly used in fraternity initiation rites were seized by operatives of the City Intelligence Branch in separate operations Wednesday.

An alleged Tau Gamma Phi fraternity head was arrested by the CIB following a tip that initiation rites were about to be held at a house in Sitio Maharlika, Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City Wednesday afternoon.

Edmond Igot, 21, was arrested and seized from him was a Colt .45 pistol with a magazine loaded with three bullets.

Superintendent Romeo Santader, CIB chief, said it was only Igot who was arrested as his companions immediately escaped.

CIB operatives found one paddle, a face towel, a Norinco 9mm pistol with a magazine loaded with 10 bullets, an empty magazine of the same caliber, a 22 revolver and a .38 revolver with one bullet.

Santander said the area was supposed to be the site for the initiation of five high school and college students joining the fraternity..

“We are yet to get the students identification and from what school they are from and hope they will cooperate with us,” Santander said in a press conference.

The police said they are tracing the identity of the members of the fraternity as they received information that one of them is a hitman in the city. They are also identifying the owner of the house.

In a separate incident, two men who were allegedly on their way to deliver bundles of marijuana sticks in Cebu City from Balamban town were arrested after a brief chase by the police in Barangay Lahug.

Christien Marlon Pansoy, 21, of Barangay East Poblacion, Naga City, and his cohort, Carlo Anthony Morales, 21, of Gemsville Subdivision in Barangay Lahug, both college students, were arrested by police and recovered from them were a 9mm pistol with magazine and five bullets, a 9mm magnum revolver with four bullets, and marijuana stalks.

Santander said they received a text message that two armed men on board a Mitsubishi Adventure (GJW 421) carrying bundles of marijuana leaves were bound for Cebu City.

The CIB personnel proceeded to Barangay Busay and established a checkpoint operation and a road block.

When the subject vehicle arrived, it was flagged down by the CIB operatives. But instead of stopping, Pansoy, who was driving the vehicle, sped off.

CIB operatives tried to overtake the vehicle but Pansoy hit the right front bumper of the police car.

The CIB fired at the suspects’ car twice but missed until a cop hit one of the tires of the vehicle, forcing the suspects to surrender.

Santander added that a few minutes later, a taxi driver turned over to the police a backpack containing marijuana leaves abandoned in Barangay Busay. (FREEMAN)