Drug raid in Tuburan: Suspected pusher escapes, leaves shabu behind

A suspected big-time drug pusher, who is an employee of the municipal government, eluded arrest but authorities seized several packets of shabu and drug paraphernalia he left behind during a raid of his house in barangay 2-Poblacion in Tuburan town at 5:30 a.m. yesterday.

Tuburan Police Station chief, Sr/Insp. Crisanto Duque, led the raiding team in serving the warrant, dated January 16, 2006 and issued by Regional Trial Court-Toledo City Judge Cesar Estrera against 48-year-old drug pushing suspect Emmanuel Maxilom, a.k.a. Eman.

But loud barks from a dog alerted Maxilom of the approaching raiding team resulting to his escape. His wife and a child were, however, left behind, said Duque.

Authorities were able to seize several packs of shabu in varied sizes, and drug paraphernalia from Maxilom's house. They got more small sachets of shabu reportedly thrown out of the window by his wife.

The confiscated items were initially in the custody of the Tuburan Police and these have to be taken later to the PNP Crime Laboratory in Cebu for examination and determination on the exact amount of the illegal items, prior to the filing of cases against Maxilom.

Duque said Maxilom has been a regular employee of the Tuburan municipal government where he was employed as a driver before he was demoted as a toilet cleaner allegedly due to attitude problems.

Duque said Maxilom is in the watchlist of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7, as a suspected drug pusher operating in the towns of Tuburan, Balamban and Asturias.

Sometime in November last year, the Tuburan Police conducted surveillance on Maxilom and even did a test buy with him three weeks ago, said Duque.

The raid was done in an orderly manner, said Duque, in the presence of Maxilom's wife, councilman Nelson Mike Montebon, and tanods Michael Naingue and Ronald Bardoquillo.

Elements of the Regional Mobile Group were also with the raiding team, as back-up security of the Tuburan Police force, said Duque. - Gregg M. Rubio