Suspected pusher shot in buy-bust, 9 others fall

CEBU, Philippines - A suspected drug pusher was injured while nine others were arrested in several anti-drugs operations conducted by the police Friday resulting in the confiscation of over P200,000 worth of illegal drugs.

Suspected pusher Alex Lim Baguio was shot in his foot by Senior Inspector Wilson Abot, Consolacion Police chief, after he tried to draw his caliber .38 revolver upon seeing his companion Jose Rombaiz, 47, being arrested in Barangay Togbongan.

The members of Consolacion Police Station led by Abot conducted a buy-bust operation against Rombaiz past 1 p.m. on Friday. An undercover police bought a pack of shabu worth P200 from Rombaiz resulting in his arrest.

However, Baguio tried to rescue Rombaiz from the police prompting Abot to shot him. Aside from Rombaiz and Baguio, the police also arrested Al Ryan Bacuba, 29 and Jovy Isot, 33.

The police recovered the buy-bust money, P360 cash, and nine packs of suspected shabu from Rombaiz. A caliber .38 revolver with three live rounds of ammunition and a pack of suspected shabu from Baguio. 

The police also recovered drug paraphernalia from Bacuba and a pack of suspected shabu from Isot.

In another buy-bust operation in the same barangay, the police arrested Jerome Herosa for selling a pack of shabu to an undercover policeman. Six more small and one medium packs of shabu were recovered from his pocket following his arrest.

The police estimated the drugs confiscated from Herosa to be worth P52,628. The suspect was brought to the police station while a case is  now being prepared for filing.

Meanwhile, a suspected drug pusher in Barangay Poblacion, Boljoon was also arrested Friday during a raid resulting in the confiscation of at least P60,000 worth of shabu.

Jury Coronel was arrested based on the search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Maximo Perez in Argao.

The police recovered 24 small packs; a medium pack of suspected shabu worth P64,664; 27 empty packs and a Samsung mobile phone, and P1,000 cash.

In Barangay I, Tuburan town four persons were also arrested by the police after being caught sniffing shabu past 3 p.m. on Friday.

The suspects were identified as Joan Butaslak, 40; Noel Roble, 35; Modesto Sayson Jr., 22; and Ronnierick Pingay, 26. —/FPL (FREEMAN)