Police nab 2 in San Fernando buy-bust

CEBU, Philippines – Illegal drugs worth between P30,000 to P40,000 were seized from two pushers during a buy-bust operation at Sitio Lakaron, Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando last Saturday.

Police said Aidere Eredia, 40, and his cohort Florante Paradila, 32, are noted pushers allegedly distributing 200 grams of illegal drugs worth almost P300,000 per week.

The arrest was made by the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task (PAIDSOT) Group of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, in coordination with Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7.

Taken from Eredia were two pieces of medium size plastic sachets and six small packs containing substance believed to be illegal drugs. The P500 buy-bust money was also recovered.

Paradilla, meanwhile, yielded a plastic sachet with white crystalline substance and P500 buy-bust money.

According to SPO4 Ernesto Navales, both were under surveillance for two weeks after being closely monitored by an informant who also received complaints from their neighbors.

Navales described Eredia as a level 3 drug pusher who has been in and out of prison for three times now.

"Ika-upat na ni nga higayon nga amo siyang nadakpan pero bailable man gud ang illegal possession maong makagawas ra sad," he told The FREEMAN. (This is our fourth time to arrest him but illegal possession of drugs is a bailable offense so we expect him to be out.)

PAIDSOT and PDEA 7 operatives conducted the operation at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the residence of Eredia.

Operatives met Paradila and arrested him after he handed a plastic sachet to SPO1 Benjamin Sebellita in exchange of the P500-buy bust money.

Paradila tried to elude arrest but SPO1 Edgar Causon immediately grabbed him.

Right after Paradila's arrest, Eredia was also arrested through a search warrant issued by Judge Edito Enemecio of Regional Trial Court Branch 25 in Danao City.

Both will face charges for violating Section 5 Article 2 of RA 9165 or possession of illegal drugs.

Both suspects are now detained in San Fernando Police Station. (FREEMAN)