8 including woman fall in Lapu-Lapu drug busts

CEBU, Philippines - A woman and seven men, including two drug surrenderers, were arrested in separate buy-bust operations in Lapu-Lapu City recently.

Renante Badayos, 37, and Johnny Maloloy-on, 24, all residents of Sitio Seabreeze in Barangay Mactan were arrested yesterday, around 5 a.m.

Both of them earlier surrendered to the police under Oplan Tokhang, said Inspector Ronnie Acar, chief of Mactan Police Station.

Also arrested were the suspects' companions Randolph Silawan, 23, also a resident of Barangay Mactan, and Delio Costura, 32, who lives in Barangay Punta Engaño.

At least 15 small sachets of suspected shabu were seized from Badayos, while another five sachets were confiscated from Maloloy-on.

Assorted drug paraphernalia were seized from Costura and Silawan, Acar added.

Police also confiscated the P500 alleged proceeds of the illegal drug trade.

Last Thursday, another four alleged drug peddlers were arrested in Sitio Balanghoy in Barangay Gun-ob around 8:30 p.m.

Arrested were Jona Ybañes, 29; Jeffrey Villa-ganes, 42; Mark Regan Blanco, 29; and 33-year-old Antonio Torrejos, said Chief Inspector Mark Gifter Sucalit of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office - City Intelligence Branch.

Sucalit said that at least seven small sachets of shabu were seized from Blanco, the main subject of the operation.

Another three sachets were confiscated from Villaganes and one small pack from Torrejos.

A pouch, which contained sachets of shabu, and the P600 proceeds of the illegal operation was seized from Ybañes.

The estimated street value of the confiscated shabu was around P2,000.

All suspects are now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Acts of 2002. (FREEMAN)