P190.4M shabu seized in Cebu

Biggest haul since 2016

CEBU, Philippines — Barely a month after they confiscated shabu worth P47.6 million in Mandaue City, authorities scored anew in the fight against illegal drugs after they seized shabu worth P190.4 million during successive operations in Cebu City and Consolacion town dawn yesterday.

At past 1 a.m., together with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, operatives of the Cebu City Police Office arrested one Elymar Tampos Ancajas at Fatima Homes, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City after the suspect handed over an “extra-large pack” of shabu weighing two kilos to an undercover cop.

On top of this, the cops confiscated eight more extra-large packs of shabu from him. In total, the nine extra-large packs of shabu weighed 18 kilos worth P122.4 million.

During debriefing, Ancajas revealed he sourced his supply of shabu from a certain Jocelyn Encila of Green Valley Subdivion, Barangay Casili, Consolacion town.

CCPO immediately coordinated with the Cebu Provincial Police Office for a buy-bust operation.

At around 3:00 a.m., operatives of the Consolacion Police traced Encila and verified her drug dealings.

At that time, however, Encila was confined at the Mendero Hospital in the town due to dehydration. She reportedly told the undercover cop to get the drugs from her parents at their house at the subdivision.

The cop did so and bought one large pack of shabu, which paved the way for the arrest of Encila’s parents, Marcial and Marilyn.

Police also recovered four more large packs of shabu worth P68 million at the house, displayed in plain sight at the sala. The four large packs weighed 10 kilos.

During the operation, they rescued three children who were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Encila has been placed under hospital arrest.

Police Regional Office -7 Director Debold Sinas said they will recommend for the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze Jocelyn’s assets.

During the “Itug-an ni CD” program on Facebook, Sinas said Encila’s assets do not match her source of income because she and her parents only sold charcoal and barbeque.

Garlic

Cebu City Police Director Royina Garma said the shabu recovered from Ancajas were packed with garlic in order to confuse drug-sniffing dogs.

“Sa tingin naming, nilagay tong bawang para kung dalhin to sa ibang port, malilinlang natin ang aso because mas matapang ang amoy ng bawang kaysa sa droga. Sa tingin naming, isa itong modus style na naman para malinlang ang dadaanan nito (We believe the garlic was used to confuse drug-sniffing dogs because the smell of garlic is stronger than the smell of the drug itself),” Garma said.

PDEA-7 Director Wardley Getalla said the usage of garlic is the first in Region 7.

"As per the chief of our K-9 units from the national headquarters, it will affect (the pungent smell of the garlic) in sniffing. It would cause sneezing if malakas talaga ang baho. Modus na nila yan, but based on records, this was the first time sa region na ginamit ang garlic (According to the chief of our K-9 units at the national headquarter, the pungent smell of garlic can affect sniffing. It can even cause sneezing. That’s there’s modus, but based on our records, it’s the first time that garlic is being used in Region 7)," Getalla said.

Links

While the successful operations are a boost to the government’s war on drugs, no less than Sinas said they also indicate that the demand is not going down.

“If this is intended for Cebu City ibig sabihin, mataas ang demand. Isa ito sa pinakamalaking huli since 2016 (If this is intended for Cebu City, it means that the demand is higher. This is one of the biggest hauls since 2016),” he said.

Pardo Police chief Regino Maramag Jr. said the latest haul was a result of intensive follow-up operations following the arrest of one Danilo Flores dela Cerna last February 16.

Dela Cerna said he sourced his drugs from Ancajas.

Meanwhile, Garma said Encila was a girlfriend of Rustico Igot who is serving jail time for drug at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

Rustico is reportedly part of the Igot Drug Syndicate, which operates in Metro Cebu and Cebu Province, and facilitated the flow of shabu from Metro Manila to Consolacion, and to the rest of Cebu Province.

“Lumalabas na ang link nato sa Igot group at ang main source nito ay nasa Muntinlupa (It appears that the link is the Igot group and the main source of shabu is Muntinlupa),” Garma said.

Separate case

In a separate case, prosecutors recommended no bail to a 16-year-old boy who was arrested on February 8, 2019 for selling and possessing shabu.

Authorities confiscated 109.42 grams of shabu from the boy during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

During inquest proceedings, the boy manifested to face the charges straight in court and chose not to answer them at the prosecutor’s level. — With Mylen P. Manto (FREEMAN)