P1.2M drugs also seized: Twenty-four netted in police raids

CEBU, Philippines - Authorities arrested 24 people and seized an estimated P1.2 million worth of suspected shabu and illegal gambling machines in two separate operations in Barangay Tangke, Talisay City last week.

In the first operation, a buy-bust, Senior Inspector Leo Logroño, team leader of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, told THE FREEMAN that their target, a certain "Ian," managed to elude arrest after neighbors alerted him.

He said Ian's name surfaced after an anti-drug operation in Toledo City last month.

Logroño said pieces they gathered pointed to him as the supplier of shabu packed in triangulear plastic packs in the towns from Minglanilla all the way to Toledo City.

Yesterday afternoon PAIDSTOG and PIB operatives went to Tangke to conduct the buy-bust operation against Ian and his cohorts.

Logroño said that when the poseur buyer succeeded in buying from Ian a pack of shabu, he immediately signaled to police back-up. Neighbors, though, allegedly alerted Ian by shouting"police".

"Nabolabog ang operation sir, naglisod mi'g hatag og back-up dayon sa poseur buyer kay ang lugar sudlonon kaayo mga 20 meters gikan sa eskina. Unya pagsulod namo ang mga silingan nisyagit 'polis' maong nakalayat ang naa sa taas," Logroño said.

Ian and his companions jumped from the second floor of the house where the buy-bust was made and eluded arrest by running on the roofs of the nearby houses.

Two women, Remedios Cabardo and Carla Bazar, who were allegedly with Ian, got left behind and were arrested.

 The police confiscated two large packs, five medium packs, and 350 small packs of suspected shabu weighing 103 grams and valued at least 1.2 million. They also managed to recover the P1,000 buy-bust money.

A digital weighing scale; electric metal sealer; drug paraphernalia; and cash amounting to P3, 800 pesos in different denominations and were believed to be proceeds from the illegal drug trade were also confiscated.

Meanwhile, in another operation around 11 p.m. the next day, Saturday, PIB operatives arrested 22 persons who were present in a drug and gambling in Sitio Kilawan, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City.

Authorities identified them as Fernando Gabando Gabison, 38; Resty Mamilic Capa, 50; Efren Delatore Aligado, 41; Rosilo Delo Sario Labajo, 24; Jerson Ocon Bukatkat, 26 George Hangalay Betonga, 38; Brendo Manate Otadoy, 20; Rodolfo Gabiola Caballero, 49; Manuel Cabaluma Gaviola, 30; Erwin Sarco Climaco, 30; Samuel Villaren Matas, 44; John Kevin Rabago Serentas, 21; Janreyl Labagala Namukot, 27.

Edris Cabando Oyao, 42; Rolando Salazar Sanchez, 40; Junken Pustunes Cabanes, 34; Junjie Sagarino Ingbino, 22; Garry Boiser Corongan, 38; Benzar Maboyo Sawadjan, 40; Nino Dejacto, 21; Marry Joy Natulia, 27; and Arlene Ricamata Algado, 39, who were arrested after they were caught in a suspected drug sniffing area with video karera and moli-moli machines.

Logroño said they were all caught in the act of playing video karera and moli-moli machines while some of them were allegedly sniffing shabu inside the drug den.

He said they also confiscated five small packs of suspected shabu in the area and drug paraphernalia, three functional video karera machines, and one moli-moli machine.

The arrested persons would be charged today for violating either the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or for illegal gambling.  (FREEMAN)