Manager of “drug cooperative” arrested

CEBU, Philippines – More than P400,000 worth of suspected shabu was confiscated from a man who allegedly runs a “cooperative” engaged in illegal drug trade in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.

Bernard Bate, 50, of Barangay Umapad in Mandaue City, Cebu, was arrested Friday night by police operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 after he handed over packs of suspected shabu in exchange for P1,000.

Senior Inspector Delfin Bontuyan, chief investigator of CIDG-7, said Bate is a street pusher and usually sells small packs of illegal drugs worth P200 to his customers who are mostly drivers.

Bontuyan said when they received reports about Bate’s illegal activity, they immediately placed him under surveillance for two months before they conducted the operation.

“Mag on and off man gud na iyang operation kay usahay naa’y puhonan, usahay wala,” said Bontuyan.

At around 9:30 p.m. last Friday, CIDG-7 operatives conducted the buy-bust operation and were able to trick Bate to deliver the illegal drugs personally in Barangay Mabolo.

 “Giingnan man pud namo siya nga pagdala og daghan kay naa pa mi kwarta diri. Nagdala man pud,” said Bontuyan.

During the operation, Bate reportedly tried to elude arrest but was still caught.

The police were able to seize three large and 105 small packs of suspected shabu from Bate, who tried to hide some of the items in his underwear.

All suspected illegal drugs seized weighed at P35 grams amounting to P413,000, based on the Dangerous Drugs Board value.  Bontuyan said when they interviewed Bate, the latter allegedly said it was not just him who is involved in the illegal drug trading but there are many of them.

According to Bate, he and his cohorts would give monetary contributions and the sum would be used as capital for them to operate the illegal drug trade. He is reportedly the one appointed to manage the said “cooperative”.

Bate, a father of two children, is now detained at the CIDG-7 detention cell and will be facing charges for violating the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002. —/ATO (FREEMAN)