Drugs, guns seized in raid

CEBU, Philippines - Several packs of shabu and high powered firearms were recovered from the house of a man believed to be renting out guns to robbers.

Elements of the City Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office raided the house of Atilano Zafra Quezon, Jr. in Barangay Calamba Thursday night by virtue of a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court judge Silvestre Maamo.

However, Quezon is at large as he was not around during the operation.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, CIB chief, said they placed Quezon under surveillance after they received reports that he is renting out guns to robbers.

Then, they secured a search warrant for illegal possession of firearms against Quezon.

Police arrived at his house at around 8 p.m. and seized a 12-gauge shotgun with live ammunition, two caliber .45 pistols with two magazines, a caliber .357 revolver with five live ammunition, a caliber .22 rifle, two big packs and 21 small packs of white crystalline powder believed to be shabu.

Santander admitted they were surprised to find drugs during the operation.

He said they will check Quezon’s possible involvement in illegal drug trade.

Santander said the big packs of shabu were worth P150,000.

Meanwhile, CCPO’s City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special OperationsTask Group (CAIDSOTG) arrested one Randy Pace, an alleged level three drug pusher, in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sto. Niño at past 11 p.m. Thursday.

SPO1 Rolando Banatasa of CAIDSOTG said they arrested Pace, 32, after he sold shabu to a police decoy.

Seized from the suspect were three medium packs and 18 small packs of shabu.

Pace declined to give any statement when sought for comment on his arrest. (FREEMAN)