6 arrested for drugs, but pusher escapes

Six persons were arrested for drugs during an operation by the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Section of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Station last Monday evening in barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City.

Elements of the CIIS, led by P/Insp.Francisco Baguio raided the Sumalinog Compound in barangay Marigondon after receiving a tip that Elpidio Sumalinog, a notorious but elusive drug pusher, was in the area.

PO2 Jupiter Nurab, one of the arresting team members, said they arrived at the compound at around 6 p.m. last Monday.

He said that Sumalinog and a certain Terence Carl de la Cerna were repacking shabu when they arrived while five others later identified as Elmer Soronio, Johnny Gonzales, Aaron Villamor, Ellicer Cañete and Aracelli Navasco, all residents of barangay Marigondon, were using shabu inside a shanty at the back of Sumalinog's house.

Nurab said that a poseur-buyer then handed P100 to Sumalinog who gave him a pack of shabu, but Sumalinog sensed that he was surrounded by policemen after seeing that one of the men using shabu was blocked from leaving.

Policemen claimed Sumalinog was able to escape by passing through the back of his house while the others were arrested.

A search of the house yielded a medium pack of shabu, seven decks of shabu, drug paraphernalia and P200 cash. - Flor Z. Perolina