6 arrested in Cebu City drug busts

CEBU, Philippines - Six persons including a registered nurse landed in jail after they were caught engaging in illegal drug activities in separate police anti-drug operations in Cebu City Saturday evening.

Around 7 p.m., Guadalupe police conducted a buy-bust operation inside a pension house in Barangay Guadalupe which led to the arrest of Weith Jade Chiong, 34, who was the subject of the operation.

Police placed Chiong under surveillance for a week after receiving a report that he was allegedly selling illegal drugs.

After verification, police then launched the buy-bust operation led by Chief Inspector Jose Gesto, Guadalupe Police Station chief, where a police officer acted as a poseur-buyer who transacted with Chiong inside his room.

Police said Chiong tried to escape after learning that it was a buy-bust operation, but the operatives cornered him.

Seized from Chiong were two sachets of suspected shabu and the buy-bust money.

Police also arrested Jefferson Uy, a registered nurse from Calamba, and Glacer Montinola from Mabolo, who were inside Chiong's room at the time.

After they frisked the suspects, police confiscated two small sachets of suspected shabu each from Uy and Montinola.

Uy said he works as a call center agent but, apart from that, the suspects refused to answer any questions from the media.

All three are now detained inside the Guadalupe police detention cell while waiting for the filing of criminal complaints for violations of the Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

Earlier on the same day, a man and a woman were also arrested for possession of suspected shabu at Sitio Pailub in Barangay Sambag 2.

Suspects were identified as Gary Abella, 35, and Melodina Marianas, 39, both residents of the same place.

Police Officer 3 Cliffton Manugura, Fuente Police Station desk officer, said a team from the station was conducting a patrol when they chanced upon the suspects loitering near a suspected drug den.

Police  approached the suspects and frisked them and recovered from Abella a small plastic sachet of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia while two sachets of suspected shabu were also recovered from Marianas.

Both are now in the custody of Fuente Police Station pending the filing of complaints for violation of the anti-drug law.

Another police patrol also led to the arrest of a 51-year-old man for possession of illegal drugs at Concepcion Street in Barangay Pasil at 3 p.m. last Saturday.

Police identified the suspect as Ildebrando Escubidso Cavan.

Seized from his possession were three small sachets of shabu weighing 0.7 grams valued at P8,260.

Cavan is now detained at the San Nicolas Police Station.  (FREEMAN)