4 others fall in separate drug operations: Pusher under town’s priority list nabbed with P495,000 shabu

CEBU, Philippines - Five alleged drug pushers including a minor were arrested and close to P800,000 worth of shabu were confiscated by police in separate anti-drug operations in Cebu in two days.

In Barangay Tugbongan, Consolacion, police arrested Glen Isoto alias "Kuling," 35, and seized from him at least P495,000 worth of suspected shabu.

Operatives of Consolacion Police Station were armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Te-resita Galanida of the Regional Trial Court Branch 56 in Mandaue City when they raided the suspect's house yesterday morning.

The suspect is reportedly on the police station's list of "priorities" under the Philippine National Police's Lambat Sibat program for his involvement in the illegal drug trade.

The raid yielded eight medium-size packs and eight other smaller packs of shabu found inside a cabinet drawer and a pouch with P1,500 cash.

Isoto, who was in the house, was placed under arrest and is now detained at the police station. Illegal drug charges are being prepared for filing against him.

Meanwhile, on Friday night, two men were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Polangbato, Bogo City.

Arrested were alleged drug pushers Niño Malabat alias "Pating," 35, his cohort Bonifacio Salvador, 30.

Malabat and Salvador were placed under arrest after the buy-bust was consummated.

Police then raided Malabat's house by virtue of a search warrant that led to the confiscation of 29 small packs and two medium-size packs of shabu, and drug paraphernalia.

The drugs seized reportedly amounted to close to P250,000.

Police also recovered 15 SIM cards, two ATM cards, two bank books, five deposit slips, and a mobile phone at the suspect's house.

Also in Bogo City, police raided a suspected drug den in Barangay Sambag early Friday morning but failed to arrest anyone including its owner.

The house allegedly belongs to Celestina "Tinglay" Lepon, 32, who was not around when the raid was conducted.

However, police saw a man who was later identified as Talon Herbese, 22, reportedly sniffing shabu inside Lepon's house. The suspect escaped from the police, though.

Police only managed to recover five small packs of shabu Herbese left behind and another eight small packs and drug paraphernalia which allegedly belonged to Lepon.

In another buy-bust operation, two men including a 16-year-old boy were arrested by the police in Barangay Don Andres Soriano, Toledo City late Friday night.

Arrested were 23-year-old Rene Villarmia, the one who sold a pack of shabu the poseur-buyer, and his teen companion who yielded six pieces of aluminum tinfoil.

Criminal charges will be filed tomorrow against the suspects.  (FREEMAN)