2 women arrested in illegal drug raid

Two women who were said to be bigtime drug pushers were arrested during a police raid in sitio Sentro in barangay Pit-os Tuesday night.

Emerita Bontuyan, 68, and Alma Ledamo, 45, were arrested during the raid conducted by operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch, Vice Control Section and the Mobile Patrol Group of the Cebu City Police Office.

Armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Ramon Codilla Jr. of Regional Trial Court Branch 19, police arrested Bontuyan and Ledamo inside the house of Bontuyan.

Police were able to seize one big plastic pack, two medium-size plastic packs and one small pack of suspected shabu, 28 ampules of nubain,  shabu paraphernalia and P24,580 believed to be proceeds from their illegal drug trade.

CCPO director Patrocinio Comendador said both suspects have been on their watch-list and that most of their customers were motorcycle-for-hire drivers in barangay Talamban.

When interviewed, Bontuyan said she was surprised upon the discovery of shabu inside her house, as she denied she was engaged in selling illegal drugs. But she admitted selling nubain to sustain her daily needs now that she is too old to be hired for laundry services.

However, CIIB deputy chief Michael Bastes said Bontuyan’s husband has long been in prison for illegal drug trade. – Flor Z. Perolina/LPM