Buy-bust yields guns, drugs

CEBU, Philippines - Firearms of different caliber, ammunitions, and shabu worth P200,000 were confiscated by the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Landing, Barangay Catarman, Liloan last Saturday afternoon.

The group arrested Amerphil “Phil” Jayme, Christian Ceniza, Edgardo Cetas, Donel Navales, Joelito Yutrago and Fernando Aton, all residents of the place. They are detained at the Consolacion Police Stockade.

Seized during the ope-ration were one large pack, two medium packs, and 37 packets of shabu amounting to P200,000; drug paraphernalia; a notebook of collectibles; digital weighing scales; sealers; a shotgun; KG9 pistol; two pieces Ingram pistols; two pieces .45 pistols; a 9mm pistol; a .38 revolver; and assorted ammunitions of all calibers.

PIB also seized from the suspects a Toyota Innova with plate number YGL 193 and a motorcycle (080803) under its custody.

The PIB has monitored the group a few weeks before carrying the operation out midday last Saturday at Jayme’s residence.

Jayme was placed under arrest right after the P5,000 marked money was handed over to him.

Provincial Police Director Senior Superintendent Noel Gillamac found out that the group has a Level 2 status following intelligence monitoring.

“It involved a kilo of shabu makita nga dinagko na gyud and we have to do something about this to neutralize other criminal groups and big-time drug pushers,” Gillamac said, adding, that the group has supplied shabu to as far as Bohol.

Aside from the illegal drugs business, the group is also allegedly involved in robbery and hold-up operations in Cebu City, Mandaue City and in Consolacion town.

Police will be tracing the ownership of the shotgun, which they believe may have been stolen from a security guard and utilize the notebook with collectibles to track the personalities listed there.

“As a matter of fact there are already known personalities involved in drugs, one is Ceniza who is a big time drug pusher and is involved in robbery hold-up in Mandaue, Consolacion and Cebu City,” Gillamac said in a press conference.

Ceniza is reportedly the son of a former police officer in Mandaue City and has been in and out of jail twice.

Gillamac has directed Superintendent Rodolfo Albotra, chief of PIB, to look into the suspects’ background to trace the source of the items seized during the operation.

“For sure, with this accomplishment, robbery cases in Metro Cebu, Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu (City) will lessen,” he said.  (FREEMAN)