Cops score big in anti-drugs ops

CEBU, Philippines - Authorities scored big in the fight against illegal drugs in Cebu City, Pinamungajan, and Consolacion in the past two days. 

In Cebu City, operatives of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG)-7 confiscated dangerous drugs worth almost P2 million during two separate operations.

“Our first operation was in Talamban; next at the V. Rama in Calamba,” said Senior Police Officer 4 Honorato Tano.

In Talamban, they confiscated dangerous drugs worth about P500,000 from Edward Cineza, 42, while around P1.8 million worth of illegal drugs were seized from Jerome Nabua a.k.a. Pahak in Calamba. Nabua’s cohort, Jupert Benolirao a.k.a. Estong, eluded arrest.

Tano said they found out during surveillance that Cineza, a level 2 drug pusher, allegedly sourced his supplies from Calamba.

“Now we are locating the source of the dangerous drugs believed to be in Manila,” Tano said.

 In Talamban, the operatives recovered a small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet, three small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets, and two medium-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets believed to be shabu.

They also recovered cash amounting to P1,500.

 On V. Rama Street, they recovered 160 grams of shabu and arrested Benolirao at 4:30 a.m.

 “Nabua eluded arrest after sensing the presence of arresting police officers,” he said, adding the latter conspired and connived with Benolirao in selling one large pack of shabu to their poseur-buyer worth P80,000.

 Tano said Nabua is associated with a certain Daling who is in the police’s Lambat Sibat Watchlist.

In Pinamungajan town also on Tuesday, police arrested “big-time drug pusher” Alexander Papasin, 53, his nephew, and his pregnant sister-in-law during a buy-bust operation at past 5 p.m. in Barangay Tutay.

Papasin was arrested when he handed a small pack of shabu worth P200 to a poseur-buyer.

His sister-in-law, Bernardita Papasin, 41, believed to be pregnant, and nephew, Jeffrey Papasin, 29, were arrested after police recovered packs of suspected shabu from them.

The police recovered seven small packs and eight large packs of suspected shabu, as well as the buy-bust money, when Papasin was frisked.

Police Officer 2 Abelardo Biton, desk officer of the Pinamungajan Police, said no less than Senior Inspector Gilfred Baroman, the station chief, supervised the operation.

Still on Tuesday, a suspected drug pusher who ranked eighth on Consolacion police’s priority watchlist was arrested in a separate buy-bust operation in Consolacion town.

Perolino Manatad, 38, was arrested after he sold a pack of shabu worth P200 to a poseur-buyer.

Police then confiscated at least two medium packs and small packs of suspected shabu from Manatad, including the buy-bust money and P500 cash. — (FREEMAN)