Two fall with P340K shabu

CEBU, Philippines — Two drug personalities listed as high-value individuals were seized with 50 grams of shabu worth ?340,000 during a joint buy-bust operation last Saturday dawn in Barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Those arrested were identified as Arlyn Armada Patalinghug, alias “Lalang”, 27, and Alain Ralph Florence Tojong, alias “Rap-Rap”, 37, both residents of the said area.

The said police roundup was a joint buy-bust operation by the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, City Intelligence Unit, City Drug Enforcement Unit, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 7.

Tojong, a former Overseas Filipino Worker, admitted he was in charge of delivering illegal drugs to Patalinghug, a former job-order employee of the Lapu-Lapu City Hall, and listed as a top 10 priority target according to police reports.

The operation came following two weeks of monitoring by authorities, after they learned that both can dispose of 50 to 100 grams of illegal drugs per week across Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City.

Authorities also found out that the two have connections in the jails of the three cities.

Among the evidence confiscated during the police operation were the buy-bust money and plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing more or less than 50 grams and estimated at ?340,000.

Both suspects will face charges for violating Section 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Drugs Act. — (FREEMAN)