Ex-cop, 7 others fall in separate buy-busts

CEBU, Philippines - An ex-policeman, a former security guard, and six other drug personalities were arrested while over P800,000 worth of shabu was seized by police in separate anti-illegal drug operations in the cities of Danao, Cebu on Thursday and in Talisay City yesterday.

In Danao City, a former police officer was arrested during a buy-bust operation conducted along

Olivar St., Barangay Poblacion last Thursday evening.

Police conducted a buy-bust operation against Benjamen Borla Jr., based on the statement given by another arrested drug pusher, Niño Joseph Hermosilla, who confirmed that he is acquiring his goods from the former police officer.

According to Danao City Police Station chief Senior Inspector Alejandro Batobalonos, Borla was not included on the station’s drug pushers’ watchlist because they only know of him as a user. But because of Hermosilla’s statement, Danao police quickly conducted a buy-bust operation against Borla just an hour after the arrest of Hermosilla.

Police confiscated from Borla’s possession 31 pieces of small packs of suspected shabu with estimated Dangerous Drug Board value of P14, 632 and cash amounting to P800 believed to be proceeds from illegal drug activities.

Batobalonos said that Borla was a police officer stationed in Danao City before he was transferred to Compostela. In 2013, Borla stopped reporting for duty and went AWOL.

“Ni-AWOL siguro ni siya kay nahadlok sa mga surprise drug test sa una,” said Batobalonos.

In Cebu City, a former security guard and four others were arrested in separate buy-bust operations also last Thursday evening.

Anthony Anggara, 26, a native of Samboan, Cebu, was arrested inside his house in Sitio Naba, Barangay Alaska Mambaling around 8:30 p.m., said Senior Inspector Edward Sanchez of Mambaling Police Station 11.

"Base sa information sa atong concerned citizen, nagka-grabe iyahang pamaligya sa shabu. Based sa atong pag-interrogate nagka-grabe ang iyahang baligya kadtong pag February, kadtong pag-suspend sa police operation. Daghan ni-reklamo, mao to amo gi-aksyonan," Sanchez said.

Anggara’s license as a security guard reportedly expired in July last year and he went into peddling illegal drugs.

"Mao to namaligya siyag shabu kay para niya mas nindot mamaligya kay mas dali, ikomparar sa nanarbaho ta kay kapoy og gamay ang sweldo," Sanchez adds.

At least 28 sachets and two medium packs of suspected shabu worth P832,000 were confiscated from Anggara.

In Sitio Spolarium, Barangay Duljo Fatima, 42 year-old Lucilo Auditor of Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City was arrested around 9:45 p.m. Thursday.

Also arrested were brothers Jason Pino, 27, and Harold Pino, 22, both residents of Sitio Spolarium, and 31-year-old Eliso Huetel, Jr. of Barangay Pagsabungan, Mandaue City.

Chief Inspector Christopher Navida of Cebu City Police Office-City Intelligence Branch said the suspects were caught in the act of sniffing shabu in an open shanty in Sitio Spolarium.

Police seized three small sachets of shabu that weighs around 0.12 grams with a value of P1,416.

Meanwhile in Talisay City, two were arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by Talisay police early morning yesterday in Sitio Cassare, Barangay Cansojong.

Subject was identified as Deolan Aparici who is a notorious street level drug pusher in the city, according to Police Officer 2 John Xyrus Ilustrisimo of Talisay Police Station.

Police conducted the operation after receiving information from a concerned citizen about Aparici’s illegal activities.

During the operation, Aparici noticed that he was transacting with a police operative and immediately fled. Police believed that it was one of the subject's neighbors who helped Aparici escape from the police.

While Aparici was able to get away, his son Dixie Rob Neri, 18, was arrested. Also arrested was Bryan Pepito, 28, a resident of Sitio Kalbasa-an, Barangay Campo 7, Minglanilla.

Police recovered 12 pieces small packs of suspected shabu from Dixie Rob's possession and another six packs from Pepito.

Those arrested are now detained pending the filing of formal charges. — Ermida Q. Moradas, Christell Fatima M. Tudtud and Iris Mariani B. Algabre (FREEMAN)