4 high-value suspects fall; P7 million shabu seized

CEBU, Philippines —  More than P7 million worth of illegal drugs were seized while four alleged high-value suspects fell in separate police operations in Cebu City and Talisay City on Friday and Saturday dawn.

In Sitio Isla Verde, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City, police arrested Marc Joseph Labrado, 24, and Richard Gadiane, 28, who had been placed under monitoring for allegedly selling illegal drugs.

The two were allegedly identified as sources of supplies by other small-time suspects previously arrested by the police.

According to Major John Kareen Escober, chief of Pardo Police Station, the two used to live in Barangay Duljo-Fatima but after a fire incident there, they moved to Inayawan where they allegedly continued their illegal activity.

Escober revealed that Gadiane was the target of the operation as he is considered a high-value target in the regional level. Labrado was also a target of the police after they received information that he was also engaged in selling drugs.

Based on intelligence reports, the two sold drugs around Inayawan, as well as in some parts of Talisay City.

During the operation, the suspects yielded more than a kilo of shabu valued at over P7 million.

Part of the ongoing police investigation is to check the source of drug supply for the two, who are now detained at Pardo Police Station.

Talisay Operation

Meanwhile, three other high-value targets were arrested while another one evaded authorities in separate operations in Talisay City on Friday.

Police Major Gerard Ace Pelare, chief of Talisay City Police Station, said that the suspects were nabbed by virtue of four search warrants issued by Judge Jacinto Fajardo Jr. of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 66.

In the first operation at 10:45 p.m. Friday, authorities implemented the search in the house of Dioverlyn Briones, 27, a resident of Sitio Salvador, Barangay Tanke.

Briones yielded shabu weighing 15.42 grams and worth P104,856.

At 12:45 a.m. of the following day, a certain Maissa Rosco, 29, was also arrested in Sitio Neighborhood, Barangay Tabunok.

Rosco was previously arrested for a drug violation but managed to walk out free after a plea-bargaining agreement.

Authorities confiscated from him 24.6 grams of suspected shabu worth P167,280.

Another arrestee was Rolly Sabroso a.k.a. Rolly Morella, 29, who fell into the hands of authorities in Sitio Ilang-Ilang, Barangay Lagtang at 2:40 a.m. that day. He yielded 15.84 grams of shabu worth P107,712.

A certain Emeliano Ranghos, a.k.a. Teting, 43, and his wife were able to escape. Nevertheless, authorities recovered 5.50 grams of shabu from their house.

Five minors were also rescued by the police in the area.

Pelare said the successive operations were part of the anti-criminality drive called Oplan Linis Talisay.  JMD (FREEMAN)