Five arrested for using, selling shabu

CEBU, Philippines - Naga City policemen who were about to serve arrest warrants for various cases against three people ended up arresting four men for using drugs at an alleged drug den in Sitio Mohon, Barangay Langtad last Thursday afternoon.

Police said they saw five men at the drug den, but the other one managed to escape.

Detained at the Naga City police stockade are Rene Ticzon, 27, of Barangay Pototan, Iloilo City; Mavincel Aldefolla, 35, and Christian Torion, 28, of Barangay North Poblacion, San Fernando and Joseph Paradela, 36, of Barangay Inuburan, Naga City.

Police are awaiting the result of the drug tests conducted on the four men at the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 yesterday.

Police were supposed to serve arrest warrants for frustrated homicide against a certain Mario Villarta, another warrant for Anti-Violence Against Women against a certain Jonathan Corporal and warrant for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act against a certain Joseph Reville that day.

PO2 Leopoldo Palconit said that they were walking toward Reville’s house when they noticed a man who was acting suspicious upon seeing them. The man turned out to the fifth person with the group who eluded arrest.

“Naa na mi sa interior portion sa lugar nga pagkita niya namo kalit la’g dagan,” Palconit said.

This prompted the police to run after the man and ended up at a shanty where they caught four sniffing shabu.

Confiscated from suspects were two medium packets of shabu amounting P1,000, 33 foils, 15 assorted packets of residues, four lighters and six improvised tooters.

Palconit said Paradela reportedly owns the shanty, but Paradela denied the same, saying he only rented the place to another person whose name he refused to disclose.

Palconit disclosed that the person who eluded arrest was a notorious drug courier in the area who also served as a lookout at the den.

Drug charges are expected to be filed against the four men on Monday.

Meanwhile, Efren “BODJOK” Cantos Coyoca, an alleged notorious drug pusher, was arrested during a buy-bust operation conducted by the City Intelligence Branch last Wednesday night. Coyoca, 49, is a resident of Sitio Lumar, Barangay Lorega-San Miguel.

A CIB operative reportedly posed as a buyer and handed to Coyoca the P1,500 marked money to consummate the transaction. This served as a prearranged signal for his teammates to arrest the suspect. A medium sized pack containing white crystallized substance believed to be shabu was seized from Coyoca.

Intelligence chief Romeo Santander told The FREEMAN that Coyoca has been in their watch list for the past weeks after they received numerous reports about his illegal activities from his neighbors. Coyoca is currently detained at the CCPO detention cell while awaiting the filing of formal charges against him. (FREEMAN)