Four arrested in drug operation in Asturias

Police arrested four persons who yielded at least 16 pieces of suspected shabu and illegal drug paraphernalia in barangays Looc Sur and Norte in Asturias town yesterday morning.

Elements of the Provincial Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force Group led by Supt. Herman Lungayan Jr., the Special Operations Group and the Asturias police swooped down on three houses in the two barangays by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Fortunato de Gracia.

Police were able to recover 12 small sachets of suspected shabu, illegal drug paraphernalia and P1,550 cash from the house of Mabel Rallos in Looc Norte.

They also seized two medium-size packs of suspected shabu, illegal drug paraphernalia and a cellular phone from the house of Lucresia Rondina in Looc Sur.

Two medium-size packs of suspected shabu, illegal drug paraphernalia, eight pieces of empty plastic sachets and two pieces of used plastic packs with residue were recovered from the house of Edna Montero Collantes also in Looc Sur.

PAIDSOTFG deputy chief Bonifacio Arriesgado told The Freeman that they also arrested Constantino Napolis in the area for possessing a small sachet of suspected shabu.

Arriesgado said that they had conducted surveillance operations on Rallos, Rondina and Collantes for two weeks following tips regarding the suspects' involvement in illegal drug trade.

Arriesgado said that during the operation, Rondina's live-in partner, Edgardo Jayme, escaped through the back of their house along with a certain Sara Gabuya, an alleged shabu supplier in the area.

Rondina, however, denied the allegation while Rallos and Collantes refused to give any comments. The three were reportedly known as drug pushers in their place based on the search warrants.

Lungayan told The Freeman that those arrested are only street-level pushers.

The seized pieces of evidence were brought to the Cebu Provincial Police Office for proper disposition while the suspects will be temporarily detained at the Talisay City police stockade pending the filing of appropriate charges against them in court. - Norvie S. Misa