27 jailed for illegal drugs

CEBU, Philippines - Authorities scored big last week in the campaign against illegal drugs after at least 27 persons, including a pregnant woman and a 61-year-old widow, were caught in separate buy bust operations.

At 11 a.m. yesterday, National Bureau of Investigation-7 operatives collared 20 persons inside a suspected drug den during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tangke, Talisay City, Cebu.

Among those they caught was Mark dela Cruz and several men they believe were there at the area to use illegal drugs.

NBI-7 said Dela Cruz yielded a big pack and 29 small packs of suspected shabu, several shabu sniffing paraphernalia, and a 9mm pistol with several bullets.

Tangke Barangay Captain Perla Cabañez said dela Cruz and a certain Julius Abellana, who was able to flee from the NBI men, sell drugs in the open.

Cabañez said most of dela Cruz’s and Abellana’s customers would come riding motorcycles and would just hand over payment and get the illegal drugs in front of abandoned house that allegedly served as drug den.

NBI-7 Agent Edgar Baldemus told The FREEMAN that Abellana also eluded arrest during a buy-bust operation last October.

Baldemus said they recently received information that Abellana has resumed selling illegal drugs, so they immediately did another buy-bust.

Baldemus said they would have the 20 men they caught undergo drug test to determine if they are drug users. 

Although Abellana was not arrested, the NBI would still file a criminal complaint against him for selling illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office- City Intelligence Branch operatives arrested Juven Suralta, 30, of Barangay Lorega-San Miguel after he allegedly sold a pack of shabu to a police poseur buyer last Friday.

Inspector Gomersendo Mandawe, CIB deputy chief said, they conducted the buy-bust past 4 p.m. after they learned that a certain Juven was selling drugs.

A police poseur buyer transacted with Suralta to buy a pack of shabu.  After the transaction was consummated, the police immediately collared him.

The police also arrested during the same operation Rosa Esguerra, 61, of Sitio Estacionan, Barangay Mabolo who yielded a medium pack and 45 small packs of suspected shabu.

The police said Esguerra acted as Suralta’s runner so that she yielded the packs of shabu when frisked. Arthuro Dimaano, Ceferino Alvarado, Gerald Papasin and Jomari Go were also arrested after they were seen sniffing drugs while the buy bust operation was ongoing.

Mandawe said the four men were sniffing drugs in a kobol-kobol (shanty rented out specifically to drug users) that was just near where the anti-drug operation was taking place.

Two hours later, CIB also conducted another anti-drug operation in Sitio Villagonzalo II, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City and arrested Rechel Lañas, 22, who allegedly sold a small pack of shabu to the operatives.

Lañas, who was pregnant, told the police that her husband is in jail for selling drugs she was forced to take over to support their family.

The police recovered from her a canister that contains a big plastic pack with two medium packs and 12 small packs of suspected shabu and P2,580 cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs.  (FREEMAN)