Cops arrest four men with shabu worth P80T

Operatives of the Vice Control Section and Drug Enforcement Unit arrested four men reportedly in the act of buying an estimated 25 grams of shabu worth P80,000 Saturday night at a parking area of a resto bar along V. Rama Street, Cebu City.

Arrested and now detained at the city police stockade were Jovencio Retuerto, alias Kulit: Wilfredo Vega, alias Itik; Rodrigo Cansancio, alias Badang; and Niel Tadlip, alias Boyet.

VCS chief George Ylanan revealed that the four were reportedly transacting with a woman identified only as a certain "Goldilock" who was said to be the girlfriend of Eugene Alegre.

Alegre was among the suspects the team of Ylanan arrested last January in possession of a kilo of shabu, but whose case was dismissed last October due to technicalities.

Goldilock managed to elude onboard a silver pick-up reportedly with the plate number YBB-199.

Ylanan credited the success of the operation to councilor Augustus "Jun" Pe, the city council chairman on dangerous drugs, who reportedly got the information about a huge drug deal that was to be held at a resto bar.

Pe reportedly received the information immediately after the dismissal of the case of Alegre that resulted to the latter's release from the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center.

Early last Saturday, Ylanan got a tip that a drug deal was set to go down at a resto bar along V. Rama so that they had the place placed under surveillance.

Later, Retuerto arrived on a black Mitsubishi Lancer with plate number GJF 606, followed by Tadlip in a white Nissan Urban with plate number YBE 562, with Tadlip were Vega and Cansancio.

It was at about 11 p.m. when the transaction started, and when it was confirmed, operatives led by Ylanan immediately surrounded the vehicles of the suspects and they were arrested.

According to Ylanan, it was already too late when they realized that the silver pick-up nearby was also part of the transaction and Goldilock got away.

But in Goldilock's haste to leave the area, she reportedly left behind a paper bag that contained two empty big plastics with residue, weighing scale, packing paraphernalia and deposit slips that allegedly bore the name of Alegre.

Ylanan said the deposit slips, wherein the amount involved could reach up to P1.4 million, would boost intelligence reports that even if Alegre was still in jail he was still involved in the illegal drug trade.

The money was gradually deposited at a bank along Osmeña Boulevard from August 1 up to September 12, in those times when Alegre was still in jail and that Goldilock was allegedly the one in charge.

Meanwhile, Retuerto and Vega said they were only asked to buy shabu by somebody and that they were contributing money to raise P80,000.

Retuerto said it was him who contacted the group of Goldilock through a mobile number that was given to him by a friend that was why the transaction took place.

Retuerto, who is out on bail after being arrested by elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency last June for another drug case, was also the target of Ylanan's office last April.

During that operation, Retuerto kept on changing venues so that the transaction took place in Lapu-Lapu City where he eventually eluded arrest.

Cansancio, on the other hand, had been arrested years ago for his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade while Vega said he was only a user.

Tadlip said he and Vega are friends because the latter would often rent his vehicle when there are cock derbies. But he said that he got no idea they were headed for an illegal drug transaction last Saturday.

Possession of illegal drugs will be filed against the arrested persons today. - Ryan P. Borinaga