Working student, ‘Hayop’ caught in drug busts

CEBU, Philippines - Police arrested a 23-year-old working student in a buy-bust operation that yielded at least P118,000 worth of shabu yesterday dawn along McArthur Boulevard, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.

Arrested was Rosana Manaytay, whose boyfriend Arjen Arquisal, the subject of the operation, reportedly eluded arrest.

The 12 a.m. operation was conducted by the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG) and Regional Special Operations Task Group (RSOG)-7.

Reportedly during the buy-bust operation, Arquisal managed to escape by jumping over the window of his house then going through the rooftop of the neighboring houses.

Manaytay, reportedly a working student, was found in the area and was arrested by authorities.

She denied any involvement in the illegal drugs, claiming that she was only in the area to visit her boyfriend.

Police recovered from the area 10 grams of suspected shabu with a value of P118,000 as per Dangerous Drugs Board estimate, drug paraphernalia, and P540 cash believed to be proceeds.

Parian buy-bust

Around the same time, a 22-year-old alleged drug pusher was also arrested in a buy-bust operation along M. Lazarte Street in Barangay Pari-an, Cebu City.

Arrested was Jovanie Gadiana of Sitio Kawayan, Barangay Mambaling, who yielded 11 small packs of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

Senior Insp. Dexter Basirgo, chief of Pari-an Police Station, said they earlier received information about the illegal drug activities of Gadiana, which prompted them to launch the operation.

He said Gadiana did not show any signs of aggression during the arrest. Aside from the packs of shabu, 14 rolled tin foils were also recovered from the suspect.

Hayop caught

Another suspected drug pusher was arrested inside an e-bingo establishment in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay on Wednesday afternoon.

Suspect Junry Bacalso alias “Hayop”, 31, was placed under arrest immediately after handing over a pack of shabu to a poseur-buyer.

Bacalso, a resident of Barangay Bulacao in Talisay City, yielded seven small packs of suspected shabu and the P500 marked money.

All suspects are now detained and will be facing charges for violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. - Mylen P. Manto, Michael H. Braga , Iris B. Algabre (FREEMAN)