15 nabbed in separate buy-bust operations

CEBU, Philippines - Fifteen drug personalities, including a minor, were arrested in separate buy-bust operations in the different part of the city and the province, seizing more than P200,000 worth of suspected shabu.

City Drug Enforcement Unit seized at least P150,000 worth of suspected shabu from two suspects inside a lodge in Barangay San Nicolas Wednesday night.

Suspects March Quijano, 36, and Hector Rivera, 53, were arrested in a buy-bust operation in which operatives confiscated 20 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 40.48 grams that has a street value of P141,680 and other drug paraphernalia.

The two were running the illegal-drug business in two separate rooms inside a lodging house and were under close monitoring for a month by the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) in coordination with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency- 7.

CIB Chief Christopher Navida said Rivera is considered as an old player in the drug business and is tagged as a high-value level one target.

He said Rivera was previously arrested in a separate operation dubbed as Oplan Pokemon, but he was able to post bail since the shabu confiscated from him was less than five grams.

Rivera reportedly resumed the illegal-drug trade and operated near Mambaling and boundaries of Talisay, wherein he can dispose about 75 to 100 grams of shabu.

On the other hand, Quijano alleged that he is only working as a “runner” for Rivera.

The lodge where the two suspects were arrested was also the same location where operatives from PDEA-7 seized 4.2 Million worth of shabu December last year.

Navida said the personnel and management of the lodge were unaware of the illegal-drug business being conducted in the establishment.

The pieces of evidence recovered had been turned over to Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory for assessment and inventory.

Danao City

In Danao City, three alleged drug pushers and five users were arrested in four separate buy-bust operation.

The arrested suspected pushers were Reyanne Alerta, 33; Hilario Nazara, 34; and Rhonniel Abad, 47.

The police’s fourth target, a certain Roel Ramoneda, of Barangay Suba, evaded arrest.

Those arrested for alleged drug use were Rodel Pejares, 23; Juniel Formentera, 22; Junnel Laurito, 19; Bernado Mojado, 20; and a 16-year-old minor.

The police authorities seized more than P50,000 worth of suspected shabu during the operation.

According to Police Chief Inspector Gerard Ace Pelare, chief of Danao Police that they will not stop until all of the illegal drug peddlers in the city will be jailed.

Carcar City

In Carcar City, a former driver of provincial police’s high-value target and a notorious gun-for-hire Dionisio Racho was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted in his residence in Sitio Lower Tawog, Barangay Villadolid Wednesday afternoon.

Recovered from the possession of Joel Ellore, 33, were more than P5,000 worth of suspected shabu, a .45 pistol with three magazines and 12 live ammunitions, and P950 believed to be proceeds of his illegal activities.

Toledo City

In Toledo City, four women allegedly selling and using drugs were arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Luray II Wednesday dawn.

The suspects were identified  by the police as Rosy Paquibot, 41, a resident of  C. Padilla, Cebu City; Rhoda Acuña, 29, of Claudio, Toledo City; Shielo  Bubuli, 22, and Manilyn Perater, 29, both from Barangay Bato, Toledo City.

Seized from Paquibot and her alleged cohort Acuña were two medium and eleven small packs of suspected shabu valued at P5,000.

Recovered from Perater and Bubuli were drug paraphernalia used in sniffing illegal drugs.

Senior Police Officer 2 Gerardo Taboada said the suspects were under surveillance for a month and were found selling shabu in a lodging house. — Mae Clydyl L. Avila, Ermida Q. Moradas, Aeddy Rose Sarangsang, Maria Yula M. Pasaol (FREEMAN)