3 men arrested in separate busts

CEBU, Philippines - Two men were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay 1, Poblacion in the northwestern town of Tuburan late evening last Saturday while a barangay tanod was arrested in Medellin town also for selling drugs the night before.

In Tuburan, police arrested Dominic Allego, 35, and Chester Canencia, 32. They are facing charges for distribution or selling of illegal drugs, possession of illegal drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Recovered from the Allego were the buy-bust money worth P500, two small plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu and two pieces of tin foil. Meanwhile, police seized three small sachets containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu from Canencia. The sachets were placed inside a container of Vick’s Vapor Rub.

Allego was placed under surveillance for one week before the bust. The duo usually went together, but Allego was the main target during that time. Canencia who was with Allego at that time was not too lucky.

PO1 Mohaliden Samod acted as the poseur buyer during the buy bust operation. Allego turned over two small sachets of shabu after Samod handed over the bust money to him. The other policemen swooped in on Allego when Samod turned on his cigarette lighter, the pre-arranged signal to effect the arrest.

Canencia who was with Allego was frisked and police found three small sachets of white substance from him.   The two are detained at the Tuburan Police Station while waiting for formal charges against them.

Meanwhile, in Medellin town in the north, police arrested Eugenio Jumao-as Jr., 33, also during a buy-bust operation last Friday night. Jumao-as is a tanod of Barangay Dayhagon.

Police recovered two small packets of shabu and the P500 marked money from his possession.

SPO2 Roselito Ortega of the Medellin Police Station said the buy-bust was carried out following reports of Jumao-as’ activities. Several test buys conducted within two months during surveillance reportedly proved the reports true.

Ortega said they handcuffed Jumao-as right after he handed a packet of shabu to the poseur-buyer.

Ortega said Jumao-as was a noted drug pusher in the barangay. 

Barangay captain Gonzalo Balonan reportedly advised him to stop his activities several times but Jumao-as reportedly just ignored the same. Jumao-as was once fired from his job as a tanod because of his illegal activity but was accepted again after he reportedly quit.

“Gipahunong siya sa pagka-tanod pero pagsulod nibalik na pud,” Ortega said.

Police are now preparing charges for violating Section 5 and 11 of RA 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Acts of 2002 which will be filed today at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. — (FREEMAN)