1 dead, 2 arrested for “drug business”

CEBU, Philippines - An alleged drug den operator was found dead inside his residence in Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City yesterday morning.           

Domingo Marañan, 50, died after he sustained multiple stab wounds to different parts of his body.

Cebu City Police Office Homicide Investigator SPO1 Ruth Violango said that their team, in coordination with the elements of Pardo Police Station, received the alarm and responded to the crime scene at around 5:30 a.m. where they found Marañan beside the gate of his house, lying on his back, lifeless.

She said they also found the bloodied knife believed to be used in committing the crime about a meter away from the victim.

Violango said that their initial investigation showed that Marañan was engaged in illegal drug business. She added that Maranan’s house was also used as a drug den.

Recovered in the crime scene were one rim of tinfoil, 56 strips of tin foil, 12 small packs of suspected shabu, a knife, a small LED-light, one lighter, four pieces of silver-plated rings, a bracelet, two keys and P1, 201 in cash.

Violango said that they are still investigating the motive of the crime as well as the identity of the perpetrator.

The body of Marañan was taken to St. Francis Funeral Homes for autopsy.

Meanwhile, several packets of shabu worth more than P80,000 and a firearm was recovered by the Provincial Intelligence Branch in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Poog, Toledo City Tuesday afternoon.

Two suspects resisted the arrest and tried to escape but were overpowered by the operatives, together with the Toledo City police.

Arrested and now detained at the Toledo police station are Jonathan "Atan" Respondo, 35 and his cohort, Noel Descartin, of Barangay Upper Media Onse.

Confiscated from them were three large and eight medium packets believed to be shabu worth P82,000, a .22 magnum revolver, P1,000 marked money, a digital weighing scale and other drug paraphernalia.

The packets believed to be illegal drugs were taken to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug for chemical analysis.

Sr. Insp. Leo Logroño, team leader, told The FREEMAN that Respondo was under surveillance for two weeks before they carried out the operation past 4 in the afternoon at the residence of Respondo.

It was Respondo who received the P1,000 cash from the poseur-buyer while Descartin handed one medium packet of shabu.

"Silang duha nakig-transact… in connivance sila," Logroño said.

Operatives immediately arrested Descartin while Respondo tried to run towards the exit door but police officers from the Toledo City Police Office were on standby causing the suspect to surrender.

"Nidagan gyud siya agi sa exit door unya tua na may mga pulis ngadto daan unya wala na pud siya kasukol kay iyang armas wala man niya gitakin naa man ilawon sa TV," Logroño explained.

Respondo was reportedly a level-three drug pusher who was on the watch list of the PIB.

But police did not have any information if he had previous cases as it was the first time they arrested him. But, his wife is jailed in the Toledo City jail two years ago for the same offense.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency applied for the search warrant against the wife of Respondo but the latter eluded the arrest. She, however, was arrested by the PIB in another operation.

PIB will be pressing charges for RA 9165 or violation of Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and RA 10591 or violation of Comprehensive Firearm and Ammunition Regulation Act against the suspects. — (FREEMAN)