4 Lapu-Lapu raids yield 9 persons, shabu, guns

Nine people, including a juvenile, were arrested in simultaneous drug raids of four houses in sitio Seaside, barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City yesterday dawn that also yielded 30 packs of shabu, seven assorted firearms, cellphones, handheld radio and surveillance camera, among others.

The Lapu-Lapu City Police, armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court judge Faith Econg, were grouped into four teams that swept the area but all four subjects in the warrant either managed to escape or were not in the area at the time.

Inspector Francisco Baguio led the first team, reinforced by members of the Regional Mobile Group, in raiding the house of drug suspect Kamad Maruhum, who was not around then.

Instead, Baguio's team arrested three men found inside the house and seized from them four medium packs and 18 small packs of shabu, a caliber-.38 revolver, two cal-.22 guns, a magazine of cal-.45 pistol, a cellphone, a fake P1,000-bill, and drug paraphernalia.

A second team, led by PO2 Joel Cabras, arrested Sandy "Sandy Due" Loquero, who was also in possession of a big plastic pack and three small packs of shabu, drug paraphernalia and an ice pick.

In the raid of the house of a certain "Ahmad", again the subject eluded arrest but the raiding team got from there a medium pack of shabu, a cellphone, a 2-way handheld radio, a surveillance camera, and drug paraphernalia.

The third team, led by PO2 Leo Pepito, arrested William Sanchez Yaun and seized from him three small packs, a cal-.357 pistol with five bullets, 12 cal-.38 bullets, and drug paraphernalia.

They also raided the house of Alimuden Nasser Mamantak, who was arrested two weeks ago for illegal possession of firearms but has been out on bail since. Mamantak was not in the place but the police arrested Marawi City-native Candy Alawis, 37, and his live-in partner Maginda Canoy, 30, both of who were inside a room with shabu residues and drug paraphernalia.

The fourth team raided the house of Juliet Llanes-who also escaped-and nabbed Mavic LLanes, 37, and a 16-year-old boy who were both inside. Taken from the place were three small packs of shabu, a cal-.45 pistol, cal-.38 revolver, cal-.22 pistol, P700 cash and drug paraphernalia. - Flor Z. Perolina