Two level 2 drug pushers arrested

CEBU, Philippines - Two “big-time drug pushers,” a woman included, were arrested for selling shabu in separate buy-bust operations in the city yesterday and the other day.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 arrested Marcial Inso alias Lou, 38, outside his residence in Magsaysay St., Barangay Suba last Thursday afternoon after two big packs of suspected shabu worth P30,000 were seized from his possession.

Jessie Tabanao, spokesperson of PDEA-7, said Intelligence Officer 3 Mark David Maramba was injured during the operation after he was hit with a stone thrown at him by Inso’s relatives.

Tabanao said the PDEA personnel went to the area with the help of a PDEA asset. The asset pretended to buy drugs worth P8,000. Inso, who sensed the presence of authorities upon seeing a car tailing the motorcycle driven by the asset, scampered away right after receiving the “payment” which only consisted of wads of papers.

Authorities chased the suspect but the latter’s neighbors and relatives intervened and threw stones and bottles at them during which Maramba was hit on his nape. Still, the PDEA personnel pursued and eventually accosted Inso. Another pack of suspected shabu was also recovered from his pocket.

Tabanao said Inso, a level two drug pusher, can dispose more than 200 grams of shabu every week. His areas of distribution include Siquijor, Bohol, and Hilotongan Island in Cordova town.

Suba Barangay Captain Roger Resurrecion questioned why they arrested Inso despite the absence of evidence, but Tabanao said some drug traders whom they have arrested earlier have identified Inso as their “superior,” something that Inso reportedly did not deny.

A message in the mobile phone recovered from Inso showed a sender asking for shabu for a buyer.

In a separate incident, operatives of the City Intelligence Branch arrested Susan Cansancio, 40, after more than 100 small sachets of suspected shabu were seized from her possession during a buy-bust operation outside her residence in sitio Ponce 2, Barangay Carreta at 10am yesterday.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, head of the CIB, said they went to the area to respond to a report that of “intense” illegal selling of drugs in the area.

The shabu amounted to P22,000, Santander said. He said the suspect is also a level two drug pusher and is also in the police watch list. (FREEMAN)