3 arrested at ‘drug den’ near Cebu City Hall

CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation -7 arrested three people yesterday morning for allegedly maintaining a drug den.

Interestingly, the house in Sitio Lutaw-Lutaw, Barangay Sto. Niño used as an alleged drug den is located near the Cebu City Hall where a police station is also located.

Lead agent Arnel Pura identified those arrested as live-in partners Christopher Hilongos and Gladys Entoma, both 20 years old, and Fidelina Salcedo, 20, all residents of D. Jakosalem Street, Cebu City.

He said they hatched the operation following a month-long surveillance on the suspects based on a tip from an informant. The buy-bust operation was conducted at 8 a.m.

 “Intel report nga naay tig gamitan nga taga City Hall lalo pag sweldo. We wanted to neutralize the drug dens,” Pura said.

Aside from City Hall employees, they also reportedly learned that students and vendors at the Carbon Market were frequent customers.

Pura said they arrested the suspects after Entoma handed a packet of shabu worth P300 to the poseur-buyer. The packet weight .15 grams. They also recovered several drug paraphernalia.

 Entoma denied being involved directly in the business and claimed she was only running an errand. While she said her live-in partner owns the house raided by the NBI, Hilongos denied maintaining a drug den. Entoma and Hilongos have a three-year-old son.

 Salcedo who has nine-month-old baby boy and a one-year-old baby girl also denied having to do with the alleged drug den. She said she was but renting a space at the other house the NBI raided.

The NBI-7 is set to file charges for selling of dangerous drugs and maintaining a drug den against Entoma and a separate case for maintaining a drug den against Hilongos and Salcedo today.

At City Hall, Mayor Michael Rama said investigation findings of City Hall workers visiting the drug den are not surprising, especially that information about alleged drug dens in the area is not new.

He commended the NBI for the successful operation.

“That is what I have been talking about. I commend the NBI personnel since I had been challenging them already to go after them. Destroy the illegal activities in the area where drug peddling is just within the nose at City Hall,” Rama said.

The NBI is part of City Hall’s Police Coordinating and Advisory Council.

Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Vice President and Tinago Barangay Chairman Joel Garganera who was present during the raid told reporters the arrest was a “welcome development”.

“Ang illegal nga drugas walay giila nga lugar. This is a warning actually nga dili ta kumpyansa,” he said.

He said the arrest of the three will be his basis in recommending to the city legal and administrator’s office to have the houses in the area removed, especially that they are no longer habitable.

He said clearing the area would also pave the way for the construction of a new ABC building.

Rama, for his part, initially wanted the area re-blocked for being a fire hazard. He has directed the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor to assess the property and have it surveyed. He also directed the Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement (PROBE) office to check on the accessibility of the area’s sidewalk. — /JMO (FREEMAN)