CEBU, Philippines - The barangay captain of Sangi in Toledo City was arrested by operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 last Thursday afternoon for selling shabu.
The barangay captain is identified as Eduardo Bacalso alias Edwin, 50. Authorities have classified him a Level 2 pusher and a high valued target.
PDEA-7 Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz said they received information about Bacalso's alleged involvement in illegal drugs as far back as two years ago.
Bacalso reportedly had been lying low recently but went back to selling, prompting the police to carry out the buy bust.
"Nakita nga naay shortage sa ilang lugar (referring to shabu), they fill in the need," Ruiz said.
Because Bacalso was barangay captain, he was reportedly considered "untouchable."
"So every time naa tay agents paadtuon mo conduct og surveillance, maglisud ta kay naa man siyay barangay network," Ruiz said.
Ruiz said they are looking into the possibility that Bacalso may have a protector.
Police Superintendent Samuel Mina, Jr., of the Toledo City Police Station certified that Bacalso is one of their high value targets.
Ruiz said Bacalso could dispose of 500 grams to one kilo of shabu a week within the city. Operatives seized 110 grams of shabu worth P396,000, a caliber 38 revolver loaded with bullets, and the buy-bust money from Bacalso's possession.
Warning drug personalities, Ruiz said, "Pangita og tarong nga negosyo. Biya namo." Bacalso denied owning the illegal drugs confiscated by PDEA-7, as well as his involvement in the illegal drugs trade but admitted owning the gun seized. He said it was for protection.
He admitted using shabu but said he stopped after he got married and became a public servant.
"Kanang issue nga mamaligya politiko na," he said, belying reports he did not cooperate in the police's anti-illegal drugs campaign.
He claimed having conducted "Oplan Tokhang" personally.
LAPU-LAPU OPS
In Lapu-Lapu City, a 31-year-old man also considered a high value target was killed during a buy-bust operation at a village in Purok Caimito, Barangay Gun-ob.
Clifford Rubio Degollacion was shot dead when he allegedly resisted arrest.
Police Chief Inspector Jaime Tolentino, commander of LCPO-Station 3, said the suspect's cohorts, Joelly Jane Degollacion, 27, and Alixis Degollacion, 32, both residents of the area, were also arrested, together with one Argie Lacion, 32, a resident of Barangay San Miguel, Cordova.
Joelly Jane is Clifford's wife and Alixis is Clifford's mother. Lacion reportedly works as a carpenter. They were seen handing each other shabu.
Tolentino said at least 36 sachets and eight medium packs of suspected shabu weighing a total of 30 grams were seized from the suspects. These are worth an estimated P354,000.
Also seized during the operation were two .38 caliber revolvers, eight bullets, an empty shell, cash amounting to P5,480, assorted drug paraphernalia, and communication gadgets.
Prior to operation in Gun-ob, police also arrested two men in Zone Lato, Barangay Calawisan around 3:55 p.m.
Tolentino said 23-year-old Myles Henson Algar, a resident of the area, was apprehended and police seized a sachet and five medium packs of shabu from him.
The arrest of Algar led to the arrest of Kim Lubrin, 25, who, together with Algar, allegedly transacted with the police decoy.
It was allegedly Algar who took the P300 buy-bust money from the police decoy, placed it inside his cellphone, and instructed Lubrin to hand him a sachet of shabu to the decoy.
Lubrin allegedly took the sachet of shabu from his boxer shorts.
At least four small sachets of shabu were confiscated from Lubrin.
Several drug paraphernalia were also confiscated, as well as the P600 worth of drug proceeds.
Tolentino said the shabu seized was worth an estimated P40,000.
All five suspects are facing charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (FREEMAN)