Ex-cop busted w/ P180T shabu, guns

CEBU, Philippines - A former policeman of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, who was found positive of illegal drugs use while still in the service, was arrested with P180,000 worth of shabu, based on Dangerous Drugs Board valuation, and three unlicensed firearms.

The suspect, identified as Ricardo Buscaino, was caught in a joint buy-bust operation in his residence at Barangay Obogon of Tanjay City Wednesday afternoon at the height of the city’s upcoming fiesta celebration.

Buscaino, tagged by the police as Level-2 pusher, was arrested after he allegedly sold one plastic sachet of shabu to an undercover agent. Two other suspects, Louie Navarro and Larry Rebusa, were also arrested for allegedly being caught in the act of using shabu at the time of Buscaino’s arrest.

Confiscated from Buscaino’s possession were 16 sachets of shabu estimated to weigh about 15 grams, a .45-caliber pistol with 21 live ammunition, a 12-gauge shotgun with 27 live ammos, a .38-caliber revolver with three live ammunition, a digital weighing scale, lighters, tooter, P500 marked money and a blue book containing a list of his clients up to Manjuyod town.

In an interview, Buscaino confirmed to The Freeman he was able to retire from service in April 2013 but has not gotten his retirement pay yet.

NOrPPO director, Senior Superintendent Mariano Natuel Jr., declaring his command means business in addressing the proliferation of illegal drugs, said more have yet to come regarding the involvement of former police officers and active police officers, including non-commissioned officers.

Natuel said the anti-illegal drugs campaign is also part of the cleansing effort of the police against misfits and bad eggs in the service, not just on target personalities.

On the other hand, a former driver of the Dumaguete Police for ten years is now back at the police station, but this time a detainee for engaging in the drug trade. The arrested suspect was Restituto Ferraren Sr., 62, a resident of Cadawinonan Housing project in the city.

A search in his house yesterday dawn by the Dumaguete City Police, headed by Supt. James Goforth and witnessed by Barangay Chair Gilieta Josy Binondo, yielded P120,000 worth of shabu, a digital weighing scale, scissors, and a homemade .38-caliber revolver.

Ferraren in an interview said he has no remorse when arrested because he purposely sells shabu for subsistence, as he had no other means of livelihood. (FREEMAN)