3 alleged big-time pushers fall to cops

At least three alleged big-time drug pushers in the southern towns of Cebu were arrested in separate incidents.

The first suspect, identified as civil engineer Archel Bacalso, 34, a resident of sitio Lacaron, barangay Pitalo, San Fernando, is reportedly considered a level-two drug pusher who can dispose of 200 grams to a kilo of shabu a week.

Police spotted him in a fiesta benefit dance in Pitalo. Bacalso has a standing warrant filed by the National Bureau of Investigation for violation of Section 6, Article III of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs Act.

A pack of shabu and cash amounting to P400 believed to be proceeds from the illegal drug trade were found in Bacalso’s possession the moment he was arrested, this according to SPO1 Joseph Yongco of the San Fernando Police Station.

The suspect was taken to the Carcar City District Hospital for medical examination as a standard operating procedure.

The San Fernando policemen are now preparing the documents for his transfer to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

Meanwhile, two men who were also alleged to be big-time pushers, this time in Argao, were arrested in separate operations headed by the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group of the Cebu Provincial Police Office.

Supt. Erson Digal, deputy director for operations of the PAIDSOTG, in an interview said the two suspects were identified as Elmer Amarillo alias Ilaga, 38, said to be a brother of a policeman assigned at the Argao Police Station, and Nelson Remoroza, alias Bulldog. Both are residents of Dr. T. Kintanar Street, Poblacion Argao.

PAIDSOTG operatives armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Eric Menchavez of the Regional Trial Court Branch 21 recovered 27 packs of what was believed to be shabu from the suspects.

Remoroza accused a policeman of receiving P2,000 to P3,000 from them as protection money. When asked on the identity of said cop, Remoroza said he only knew him as a certain PO1 Armando Perez assigned in barangay Campoot in the town of Tuburan.

But he also said that the policeman is now on Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) status.

The suspects claimed that the last time they gave Perez money was last Saturday.

Further, Digal said that he was already able to talk to the mayor of Argao and was happy to learn that the mayor is “very pleased at the outcome of said operations.”

The pieces of evidence recovered were submitted to the PNP Crime Laboratory for proper examination, while appropriate charges are to be filed against the suspects. — Queenie Chariz Dayanan /MEEV