520 nabbed, P31 million drugs seized

CEBU, Philippines —  Eight persons were killed, 520 were arrested, and an estimated P31 million worth of different types of illegal drugs were hauled in the two-day anti-criminality drive of the police in Cebu City and Cebu province since Thursday evening.

Dubbed as the Synchronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations (SEMPO), the anti-crime campaign seeks to implement outstanding warrants against suspects and bust all forms of illegal activities in the region. The operations stated on Friday and ended just last midnight.

The drugs seized included party drugs and uprooted marijuana plants in the upland portion of Barangay Gaas in Balamban town on Friday.

PRO-7 records show that among the 520 arrested persons, 194 were caught during drug buy-bust operations; 136 were facing warrants of arrest for various crimes; 128 were picked up for illegal gambling; 14 for illegal fishing; and 33 for illegal possession of firearms during checkpoints.

Some 15 people were arrested by virtue of search warrants for illegal possession of firearms, including two barangay captains in Cebu City: Calamba’s Victor Borres Quijano Jr. and Lusaran’s Agustin Partulan.

Other officials arrested were Calamba’s chief of tanod, Anthony Gingoyon and barangay councilor Ramsey Mercado.

Other arrested persons were Justin Anton Jimenez, 21, and Lorenz Jasper Famos Yap, 22, who yielded party drugs during a buy-bust in Barangay Zapatera in Cebu City.

The Freeman reported on Saturday that seven were so far left dead in the operations since Thursday. The recent addition to the number was Leonidea Barcelona, alias “Dako,” who allegedly fired at the police officers in Carcar City.

According to Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, deputy chief of Cebu Provincial Police Office, they were serving a search warrant on a certain Faisa Jarantilla Dadhi at Camotes compound, Barangay Poblacion 1, Carcar City that time.

Dadhi is said to be the live-in partner of a suspected drug pusher Jay Camotes who is now in jail for drug charges.

Batobalonos said that while they were waiting for a witness to the house search, Barcelona allegedly shot at one of the operatives outside the house of Dadhi.

“Gitirahan niya ang polis. Maayo gani nag-vest. Supposedly, wala siyay apil sa search warrant, ngan lang nga guilty siya sa iyang kaugalingon,” the deputy CPPO chief said.

Barcelona, who lives within the same compound, is also reportedly the live-in partner of Jay’s sister, Joan Camotes.

During the volley of gunshots, Barcelona scampered to the back of the compound until she reached the bushes.

As the bursts of gunfire ended, the police scoured through the bushes, only to find the wounded Barcelona and dead.

Batobalonos said they applied for a search warrant against Dadhi after his name was tagged by persons previously arrested by the police. She was said to continue the illegal activities of Jay.

Joan was supposed to be included in the search but police did not pursue them after finding out that Jay had long stopped negotiating with Joan after an issue about money.

Back in the house, operatives found half a kilo of shabu worth P3.5 million.

The other fatalities in the SEMPO include Ken Kenneth Rosales, suspected as the biggest supplier of Ecstasy drug in Cebu;  Lusaran, Cebu City tanods Renato Bughaw Goc-ong and Reynaldo Laguna;Renato’s wife Emma; Cristory Monteadora in Barangay Maya, Daanbantayan; Librador Abayan, alias “Badong,” 32, in Barangay Pilipog, Cordova town; and a certain “Moises.” — JMD (FREEMAN)