Woman nabbed for drugs in Pasil

CEBU, Philippines - Police arrested a woman with alleged ties to a jailed drug pusher and seized P120,000 worth of illegal drugs during an anti-illegal drug operation in Sitio Magsaysay, Barangay Pasil, Cebu City last Sunday.

A month-long surveillance was conducted on Rosemarie 'Badiday' Abellana Abatol, 39, a resident of Sitio Magsaysay, after police learned of her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade from previously arrested drug personalities.

At 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, operatives from the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) City Intelligence Branch led by Chief Inspector Christopher Navida went on a roving patrol in Sitio Magsaysay and saw Abatol in possession of suspected illegal drugs.

Confiscated from Abatol were one medium-sized heat-sealed transparent pack and five small packs of suspected shabu, weighing an estimated 10.2 grams, worth P120,360 based on  Dangerous Drugs Board values.

CCPO considers Abatol a level one priority high-value target. Intelligence report shows Abatol can distribute some 10 to 150 grams worth of illegal drugs per week in the barangays of Duljo Fatima, Pasil, Suba, Sawang Calero, and Sambag Dos.

The same report also indicated Abatol's ties with Archie Abellana, an alleged bigtime drug pusher currently serving a jail sentence in Cebu City Jail.

Police suspect Abellana to be the middleman for drugs allegedly sourced from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa when they found ledgers in his jail cell during a recent greyhound operation conducted in the facility.

Abatol has been detained pending filing of charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or Dangerous Drug Act of 2002, while the seized evidence was  turned over to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory for assessment, tracking and inventory.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy will be facing his day in court after he was charged with illegal possession of dangerous drugs with bail set for P200,000.

Cebu City Prosecutor II Jennifer Karen Alo-Leyson held the minor for trial after finding probable cause.

In the inquest proceeding, the minor, a resident of Sitio Beavers, Barangay Day-as, Cebu City, chose not to undergo further investigation before the Prosecutor's Office.

The minor and two others were arrested during a One Time Big Time Operation conducted by Carbon police on August 2.

The minor was caught in possession of three plastic sachets of suspected shabu weighing an estimated .20 grams. (FREEMAN)