‘Shabu queen,’ 5 men fall for drugs

CEBU, Philippines - At least six people including a woman were arrested by police in separate anti-drug operations in different areas of Cebu City and province.

In Barangay Sambag I, Cebu City, 50-year-old Mary Jane De Guzman, allegedly known as “shabu queen,” was arrested after she sold a pack of shabu worth P500 to a police officer in a buy-bust operation at past noon yesterday.

Operatives of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drug Operations Task Group (Raidsotg)-7, who were armed with a search warrant against De Guzman  issued by Judge Wilfredo Navarro of the Regional Trial Court Branch 19, implemented the warrant and confiscated more drugs from the suspect.

Seized from De Guzman, a mother of five, were some 40 grams of suspected shabu packed in one large, two medium, and five small plastic packs. The drugs had an estimated value of P472,000.

The police also recovered a digital weighing scale and several drug paraphernalia from the suspect’s house.

Senior Inspector Henrix Bancoleta of RAIDSOTG-7 said they placed the suspect under two-week surveillance after receiving reports of her illegal activities. The report was confirmed, prompting them to apply a search warrant.

De Guzman, in an interview with The FREEMAN, presented herself as Marilou Toledo, jobless and a mother of five, the eldest is 20 years old and the youngest is 10.

She alleged that in order to sustain the needs of her family, she had to sell drugs. She is allegedly separated from her live-in partner since a long time ago and had to act as the sole provider of the family.

According to her, she is still new in the illegal drug trade and that most of her clients were drivers.

She declined to answer where she gets her supply, saying “palit-palit ra man ni sir.”

However, according to Bancoleta, the suspect has been selling drugs for one year already and she gets her supply within the city.

In another incident, one Nelson Pilapil, 48, was arrested after he yielded P200,000 shabu in Barangay Consolacion yesterday.

Consolacion Police arrested Pilapil by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Teresita Galanida of the RTC Branch 56, Mandaue City.

The suspect was also seized with a cal. 22 rifle, a rifle grenade and drug paraphernalia.

Senior Inspector Rudolf Oriol said Pilapil was still under the influence of illegal drugs when arrested.

Pilapil was a level one drug pusher who can dispose of more than 200 grams of shabu a week. He also topped the drugs watch list of Consolacion police.

In Barangay Poblacion, Liloan, police, through a search warrant, arrested suspects Johnalino Laag, and his alleged cohorts Juanito Laag and Mamerto Oling after they were seized with shabu and dried marijuana leaves amounting to P50,000, two rifles and drug paraphernalia.

Liloan Police chief Ramil Morpos said that after arresting the three, they proceeded to the house of the alleged drug supplier Stanley Casona, 38, in Barangay Jubay, Liloan and conducted a buy-bust operation.

The operation was consummated and the suspect was seized with a cal. 357 revolver with six bullets, shabu, drug paraphernalia and P200 marked money.  (FREEMAN)