2 women arrested with P4M shabu

CEBU, Philippines - Police have arrested two alleged female drug couriers and seized from them at least 800 grams of suspected shabu worth P4 million in Barangay Suba Tuesday night.

Operatives of the Regional Special Operations Group-7 caught Grace “Galing” Badayos Abellana, 38, and Liza Tero, 31, in the act of dealing illegal drugs at 8 p.m.

Supt. Harry Domingo, deputy chief of the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) 7, said they received a telephone call from a concerned citizen around 6 p.m. informing them that a drug transaction was about to be carried out at the corner of Garfield Street and Magsaysay Street.

Acting on the report, RSOG-7 personnel led by Insp. Ruel Burlat rushed to the area around 7 p.m.

At 8 p.m., the operatives saw a woman, who was later identified as Abellana, holding a blue knapsack talking to another woman and showing to her the contents of the knapsack.

Sensing the presence of the police, the two women reportedly quickly ran. A brief chase ensued until the police eventually cornered Abellana and Tero.

Domingo said they confiscated from Abellana the knapsack where they found eight big packs of white powdery substance believed to be shabu.

Seized from Tero, a resident of Barangay Pasil, were two medium packs of suspected shabu.

Domingo said the seized shabu packs, each with a street value of P25,000 to P30,000, were submitted for chemical analysis to the PNP Crime Laboratory 7.

Big group

Chief Supt. Samuel Yordan, Regional Chief Directorial Staff of Police Regional Office-7, said charges for illegal drug possession will be filed against Abellana and Tero if the items are proven to be shabu.

Yordan said the suspects will undergo a tactical interrogation to determine the extent of their illegal drug trade.

“Their group is big. 800 grams of shabu are a huge quantity,” said Yordan.

Yordan said Abellana is likely reviving the Abellana Drug Group after its “notorious” leader, 61-year-old Pedita Abellana also from Barangay Suba, was arrested in January this year.

“They replaced the Abellana Drug Group,” the PRO-7 official further said.

The two suspects allegedly distribute drugs in Cebu City and neighboring cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Talisay.

Yordan said the supply of drugs in the city was significantly reduced with the amount of shabu seized from the two.

“A normal drug addict uses one gram of shabu. So 800 persons could have used these drugs,” he said.

A number of female involved in illegal drugs have been arrested recently, which prompted the police to believe that drug personalities are taking advantage of women.

Denial

The suspects, when sought for comment, denied owning the illegal drugs.

“We have nothing to do with this. I was in my house (during the police operation),” Abellana said.

Saying that she does not know Tero, Abellana admitted she is a “runner” and gets a share from sold drugs.

Tero, for her part, said she was surprised when policemen arrived at her house and arrested her.

“I only ran because there are policemen. I was surprised. No drugs were confiscated from me,” she said.

The suspects are now detained at the PRO-7 detention cell while charges are being prepared against them. — /LPM (FREEMAN)