Couple falls in drug bust

A couple was arrested in a raid conducted by the Vice Control Section in sitio Bagong Daan, barangay Lorega-San Miguel, Cebu City, yesterday afternoon after a brief scuffle between the policemen and an alleged drug runner.

Renante and Racquel Canencia, both residents of the area were brought the Cebu City Police Office after the group of PO3 Jeffrey Larobis, PO2 Nathaniel Sta. Ana and PO1s Julius Aniñon and Romeo Jumalon allegedly bought two packs of shabu from Renante.

Chief Inspector George Ylanan said, based on the information they gathered, Renante peddles cigarettes as well as drugs.

A poseur-buyer got shabu from Renante using a P500 marked money. The police then tried to arrest him but he ran off.

Policemen immediately ran after Renante and caught him near one of the houses in the area. Renante refused to be handcuffed and thrashed about, forcing the lawmen to push him to the ground.

Ylanan said Renante's wife Racquel and some of their relatives and neighbors tried to stop the lawmen, forcing them to shoot a warning shot into the air.

Because of Racquel's intervention in the operation she was arrested for charges of obstruction of justice while her husband, who suffered a cut in the left side of his head, will face a drug case for selling illegal drugs.

Ylanan also said shabu is getting expensive. Yesterday they had to pay P500 for two packs when they could have had the same amount and quantity of drugs for P150 to P200 a few months ago.

Renante denied being a drug pusher but admitted being a runner for drug buyers. He claimed selling cigarettes was his main trade. - Edwin Ian Melecio