CEBU, Philippines - At least five boxes of syringes and eight ampules of nubain were seized by the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group from an alleged source of nubain in Barangay Kamagayan, Cebu City.
Neil Manila, known as Neil Taba, 37, of Barangay Kalunasan, was arrested Tuesday afternoon when he sold one ampule of nubain worth P150 to a poseur buyer of CAIDSOTG.
Confiscated from Manila were ampules of nubain, P1,000 cash believed to be proceeds from the illegal trade and boxes containing at least 100 syringes each.
Senior Inspector Eunel Avergonzado, CAIDSOTG chief, said Manila replaced Jovita Solon, tagged as queen of all nubain pushers. Solon was arrested last month in the same barangay.
"Pagkasikop namo ni Solon, nipuli na dayon na si Manila nga maoy pinakadako nga mamaligyaay og nubain diha sa Kamagayan," Avergonzado said.
Manila admitted to being a drug pusher. "Angkunon na lang nako na kay naa naman na," he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Prudencio "Tom" Bañas congratulated and urged his men to continue their aggressive campaign against illegal drugs.
In Cordova town, an estimated P30,000 worth of shabu was seized from an alleged drug pusher during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Nangka, Barangay Day-as a few minutes before midnight Tuesday.
Arrested by the team led by Cordova police chief Senior Inspector Alexander Nuñez was Robert Ian Ventura Dico, 30, a resident of the place.
According to Police Officer 2 Noem Rosillosa, intelligence operative, Dico was under surveillance for a month before the operation was carried out.
"Dugay-dugay na ni siya nga pusher gyud pero mora’g bag-ohay ra gisaligan sa iyang amo nga mamaligya og dinaghan na gyud, bali siya na ang tigpanghatag og supply sa mga kauban niya sa una nga pusher," said Rosillosa.
When the operation was consummated, police arrested Dico and recovered from him a medium and 100 small packets of suspected shabu, as well as Smith and Wesson Magnum .357 caliber revolver with four bullets.
Rosillos said Dico's supply came from Lapu-Lapu City and that he could allegedly dispose 35 grams of shabu per week.
The suspect is now detained at Cordova Police Station pending the filing of appropriate charges against him. — Ria Mae Y. Booc and Patrice Kate B. Rebuta, USJ-R MassComm Intern (FREEMAN)