As ‘drug dens’ found in cebu city: High-value targets fall

CEBU, Philippines — One man was killed while another was arrested during separate anti-drug operations in Talisay City and Cebu City yesterday.

The two, Rolando Valdez alias “Dugyot” and Danilo Dela Cerna, were considered high-value targets.

In the Talisay operation, Valdez was killed during an exchange of fire with cops in Barangay Tabunok at past 4 a.m. yesterday.

Valdez was one of the suspects in the shooting of policeman Jaylord Joseph Taping in November 2018, also in Talisay City, and was suspected to have been responsible for the killing of two alleged car thieves in Toledo City.

Chief Insp. Ardeolito Cabagnot, deputy chief of the Talisay Police, said Valdez led a gun-for-hire group that was also involved in theft, robbery, and selling of drugs.

He reportedly hid in Barangay Bulacao, another barangay in Talisay, before the operation last Saturday.

Yesterday, authorities successfully struck a deal with Valdez for the purchase of drugs but Valdez reportedly sensed he was dealing with policemen and pulled a gun first.

Cabagnot said the exchange of fire lasted for about two minutes, which ended with Valdez getting hit.

The Talisay Rescue Action Team (TREAT) responded to the scene but failed to save Valdez.

Recovered from the suspect were a .38 caliber revolver and 15 small packets of shabu. Police also recovered three bullets and a screw driver from the crime scene.

Cabagnot said Valdez had just come out of the hospital where he was being treated also for a bullet wound. He reportedly left even before recovering fully because he could no longer afford to pay for the hospital bills.

P13.6 DRUGS SEIZED

Meanwhile, in Cebu City last night, authorities arrested another high-value target identified as Danilo Dela Cerna and his cohort, Giovanni Canesare, during an operation in Barangay Pardo.

They seized from him shabu worth a total of P13.6 million.

Pardo Police Station chief Marco Maramag said they negotiated to buy 25 grams of shabu first from Dela Cerna but they eventually found more at the place he was renting in Pardo.

Maramag said they kept an eye on Dela Cerna for three months during which they found out that he was selling shabu as far as Talisay City.

Dela Cerna was reportedly careful and did not sell to those he did not know.

He allegedly sourced his drugs from a certain OJ Roxas.

Drug dens

Also in Cebu City, drugs worth P300,000 was seized during a police operation in Barangay Labangon, Friday night that led to the discovery of alleged drug dens.

Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency - 7 arrested one Maribelle Mendoza who allegedly maintained the den, as well as her son, BJ Ilaga; half-brother Johann; and supposed visitors Emmabelle Celerio and Ramon Legaspi.

Mendoza alleged sold up to 20 grams of shabu every month.

PDEA-7 spokesperson Leia Albiar said they conducted surveillance for a week on the drug den after receiving information about it.

Also last Friday, authorities found another drug den in Sitio Villagonzalo Dos in Barangay Tejero, also in Cebu City.

The discovery was the result of a buy-bust conducted against a certain Alejandro Camero.

Authorities found the drug den when they chased Camero who apparently ran toward the den. There, PDEA agents chanced upon a certain Charlie Erato who was preparing the house for a drug session.

Arrested were Chino Sepe, Joseph Sepe Saquin, Dexter Ceniza Tumulak, Juril Hermosa Durog, Nenalyn Elimno Caballero, Jenny Bruces Catalan, and Ricardo Bicada Colegado.

 Authorities confiscated 13 packets of shabu weighing 1.5 grams and worth P10,000. — Camille L. Pateres/JMO