Councilman’s brother nabbed in drug ops

CEBU, Philippines — Four persons, including a barangay councilman’s brother and three women, whom the police said were high-value targets, were arrested in separate anti-drug operations in Cebu City and Talisay City last Tuesday and yesterday.

At 2 p.m. yesterday, a team from Mambaling Police Station arrested Alkab Hadjiula Hamis, 54, of Sitio San Roque, Barangay Mambaling. The suspect is the brother of barangay councilman Emier Hadjiula Hamis.

Chief Inspector Randy Caballes, Mambaling police chief, said Alkab was caught with illegal drug paraphernalia in a small shanty in Sitio Ibo, Mambaling along with three others.

He alleged that Alkab was known in the barangay as a drug user.

Meanwhile, past 9 p.m. last Tuesday, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) and City Intelligence Branch (CIB) operatives arrested Ana Maris “An-An” Canales Pagalang during a buy-bust operation in her house on Arellano Boulevard, Barangay San Roque.

A high-value target, Pagalang was handcuffed after handing to a police poseur-buyer two medium packs of suspected shabu weighing 12 grams and amounting to P141,600.

Chief Inspector Christopher Navida, CIB chief, said that Pagalang usually transacted during dawn.

The police, however, still received anonymous reports on Pagalang’s illegal drug activities, which resulted to the operation against her.

Barely four hours later, the same CIB team arrested Emelita “Tawang” Batawang Cabaluna, 42, and alleged cohort Irish “Iris” Rentillosa Obido, 33, in a buy-bust operation in their place in Paradise Dos, Barangay Kinasang-an Pardo, Cebu City.

The two yielded 37 small packs of suspected shabu weighing 4.63 grams and worth P56,634, P600 money in different denominations.

Authorities said Cabaluna can dispose of 25 to 100 grams of illegal drugs each week.

Navida said Cabaluna was placed under surveillance the past month after they received reports she continued the illegal drug operation of her live-in partner Eric “Kyoto” Alo, who is currently detained at the Cebu City Jail for illegal drug possession.

"Kahit na yung local officials ay sinasabi na may involvement ang taong ito sa illegal-drugs. Ang naging contact nila, during (jail) visitation. Actually, minonitor natin halos isang buwan. Naging mailap yung transaction nila kasi alam nila na minomonitor sila," Navida said.

Cabaluna and Obido would be facing a criminal complaint for possession and distribution illegal drugs, which are punishable under Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

Pieces of evidence seized were turned over to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory for assessment and inventory.

In Talisay City past midnight Tuesday, Feliciano Bucao, 50, was arrested for allegedly possessing a medium pack of suspected shabu in Barangay San Roque Proper.

A carpenter, Bucao alleged that the pack of illegal drugs the police said they confiscated from him was “planted.”

He said he was just inside his house when the police suddenly barged inside and arrested him.

“Wala ko namaligya, wala na silay nakuha nako, ila rana,” he said.

He, however, said he would not file a formal complaint despite the alleged “planting” of evidence against him.

PO3 Junyl Ater, Talisay City Police Station desk officer, said they launched an operation on Bucao after receiving information that taxi drivers were seen transacting with him in the area.

Ater said the pack of shabu seized from Bucao, whom he said was a newly identified drug personality, weighed four grams and was worth around P15,000. (FREEMAN)