Girl power: Females fall in separate busts

CEBU, Philippines - A female “illegal drug courier” was apprehended by police in a buy-bust operation on Friday afternoon in front of a motel along Gen. Maxilom Ext. Cebu City while another female big time drug pusher and her nephew were arrested by the Dalaguete police during a buy-bust operation Friday evening in Barangay Obong.

Shela Cabellon Villacorta, 21, of Upper Bonbonan, A. Lopez Street, Cebu City was arrested by operatives of the Cebu City Police Office Intelligence Branch following a tip from an asset at around 5 p.m.

Sr. Insp. Romeo Santander, Intelligence Chief told The FREEMAN they have been monitoring Villacorta for the past two weeks.

She was reportedly repacking illegal drugs inside a motel before she was apprehended outside the motel where the buy-bust operation happened. “Pa out na siya gikan nag-repack sa sulod. Sa gawas ra gyud na siya mo-transact,” Santander said.

He said that operatives were waiting for Villacorta outside the motel. Once she received the P400 marked money from the agents, policemen apprehended her.

Seized from her possession were four big packs and a small sachet of plastic packs of suspected shabu which were sent for further laboratory examinations. “Binulto gyud na ang iyang transactions, unya ang iyang boss, naa na sa among watch list,” Santander said.

“The suspect allegedly sells cheaper drugs. Instead of its normal price of P32, 000 per pack, Villacorta reportedly sells it at only P27, 000. Cheaper from other suppliers,” Santander said in Cebuano. The intelligence chief encourages establishments to be more cautious with suspicious individuals in their respected areas, adding that their participation will help the police in their fight against criminality.

Villacorta is awaiting formal charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002.

Meanwhile, small packets of shabu and four small pieces of stone crystalline substance amounting P2,700 were recovered in the possession of Marialita “Nanay” Flores, 60, and her nephew Jules Indangan, 33, both of Barangay Obong in Dalaguete.

Flores, the subject of the operation, also had a search warrant for violating Sections 5 and 11 of the RA 9165 issued at the Regional Trial Court Branch 26 and signed by Judge Maximo Perez.

Aside from the illegal drugs, also confiscated from the suspects’ possession were two unit cellular phones and the P300 buy-bust money.

Inspector Dexter Basirgo, chief of the Dalaguete Police Station, tagged Flores as a level one drug pusher who could dispose P35,000 worth of illegal drugs a week.

She reportedly reaches the towns of Alcoy and Barili in disposing shabu.

Police conducted a buy-bust operation on Thursday but failed after Flores ran out of supply. This prompted the police to move their operation on Friday.

“Bag-o ra man unta ni siya nangumpra pero gamay lang gyud mi’g nakuha kay bisan asa namo pangitaon wala man mi nakit-an,” Basirgo said.

In front of the house of Flores is a sari-sari store but police believed she was not only selling goods but also shabu as their main business.

Police said they have been conducting surveillance but turned out to be negative after Flores allegedly hid some of the shabu at the house of their neighbors.

“Pag-adto namo tanan silingan nanirado sa balay wala’y nanan-aw,” Basirgo said adding that residents were not cooperative since Flores have been allegedly giving the neighbors sacks of rice every month.

He added that Indangan’s mother was arrested on a raid last 2003. At that time, only the mother was arrested after Indangan was able to elude arrest. Police said they will be monitoring the neighbors of the suspect to determine who are coordinating with them.

“Karon amo pang ilhon kinsa’y nisalo ana,” Basirgo said.

Violation of Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 will be filed against them on Monday.

In Asturias, three persons on board a motorcycle were arrested after they tried to hit a checkpoint in Barangay Uwak about 9:00 in the evening on Friday.

Suspects Ricky Encarguez, 26, of Barangay Cantu-od, Balamban; Christopher Calo, 33, and Romeo Jimenez, 24 both of Barangay Poblacion Asturias are now detained at the Asturias police stockade after their arrest.

Three small packets of shabu were confiscated in the possession of each suspect.

Senior Police Officer 2 Dennis Nocus, Asturias police investigator, said that they were conducting their regular night watch when Encarguez tried to hit two teams of policemen who were conducting the checkpoint but he was apprehended by the third team who noticed the incident.

Charges for the violation of illegal possession of drugs and disobedience to an agent to a person in authority will be filed on Monday against them.   - (THE FREEMAN)