CEBU, Philippines – Authorities seized at least P2.1 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested three men in an operation against an alleged henchman of suspected druglord Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz in Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City around 11 p.m. last Monday.
It was a follow up operation to a raid conducted against Diaz and his relatives Sunday dawn, where the compound was already abandoned, prompting police officials to suspect a member of the team warned the suspects prior to their arrival.
The police were able to seize P4 million worth of suspected shabu in that operation. However, the raiding team was disappointed because it appeared someone leaked the operation, as the compound was already abandoned when they arrived.
Last Monday evening, armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Soliver Peras against Mart Diez, Cebu City Police Office Intelligence Branch operatives descended on Diez’s residence in Sitio Santo Niño around 11 p.m. and seize two large, 15 medium, and 235 small packs of suspected shabu estimated to be worth P2.1 million.
The police also arrested Christopher Dob, 31; Criesdel Hugo, 38; and Junrel Tradio, 26, who were caught in the act of repacking illegal drugs.
Diez, however, was able to elude arrest after he immediately ran away upon noticing the presence of authorities.
Superintendent Romeo Santander, CIB chief, said Diez was the trusted lieutenant of Jaguar in the latter’s alleged illegal activity.
Santander said the Diez managed to flee because aside from the darkness, the suspect’s house was located at a very interior portion of the sitio and the pathways were very narrow.
Santander said they chased Diez to his other house saw where they saw Dob, Hugo and Tradio repacking illegal drugs. Diez eluded the policemen by climbing to the roof and away from his second house.
Aside from suspected illegal drugs, the police also confiscated P5,000 cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs.
In an interview with The FREEMAN, Dob, Hugo, and Tradio denied the allegations, saying they were mere carpenters and had nothing to do with illegal drug activities.
Santander said that despite last Sunday’s setback, they would continue apprehending these illegal drug personalities, including those who have eluded authorities in their previous operations.
He said they would show the community that there’s no such thing as “untouchables” considering that no police unit have dared to raid Diaz’s lair before.
“Sincerity is the key in every operation we conducted,” said Santander.
At the Cebu City Hall, Mayor Michael Rama said no one should be immune from being questioned if a certain government official or police authority is found protecting druglords.
“Kahibawo bitaw mo nga ‘no sacred cow’ ang atong policy against illegal drugs. Therefore, police or officials, hatagi lang ko og affidavit or direct evidence then we will have to (make appropriate actions,)” he said in a teleconference, as he was in Aklan province in Western Visayas yesterday.
Rama traveled to Barangay Caticlan in Malay town last Monday for a three-day activity spearheaded by the Department of Health-7. He was expected to deliver an acceptance speech during the “Rabies-free Visayas Project Stakeholder Recognition” yesterday.
He reiterated his order for CCPO to never stop in going after drug lords and to put a stop to the illegal drug trade in the city.
“Mag-unsa man nang kadako sa value sa shabu o sa mga drug accessories nga nakuha? We need the heads (behind these illegal activities,)” he said.
Rama said he had discussed the issue with concerned police authorities and barangay officials so they could come up with to come up with a comprehensive plan on how to go after their main target.
“I wish the policemen and PRO-7 Director Bañas will have more and more (effort to go after drug lords). Lesson learned? They know it already,” he said.
Meanwhile, 33-year-old Felix Emeterio was arrested in Sitio Villa Kalubihan, Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City, during a buy-bust operation around 2 a.m. last Monday after accepting P200 in buy-bust money.
The policemen seized from him two medium packs of suspected shabu that weighed at least 10 grams and with a total value of P116,000.
Emeterio will be facing charges for violating the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002. —/RHM (FREEMAN)