P7 million drugs, seized in separate ops

CEBU, Philippines — More than P5.4 million worth of illegal drugs were seized from nine suspected drug personalities during a series of drug bust operations conducted by Talisay City policemen in Barangays Bulacao and Tabunok last Wednesday.

The police identified the arrested suspects as Vergie Ababon, Jeniel Jumao-as, Antonio Abendan, Robert Ababon, and Jovely Naparate, who were nabbed in Sitio Hawod, Barangay Bulacao.

Suspects Analiza Ligan, Jonathan Cabriana, Rey Camanian, and Anthony Caballero were arrested at Molave Extension, Barangay Tabunok.

Police Superintendent Marlu Conag, Talisay City Police Station chief, said that all the arrested suspects come from different groups, but they are all connected since they reportedly have the same supplier of illegal drugs.

"Connected sila lahat. Follow-up operations to ang iba. Magkakaibang grupo sila, but isa lang ang pinagkukunan ng supply," said Conag.

He added that they conducted a buy-bust operation against Vergie after they received several text complaints about rampant illegal drug transactions at Sitio Hawod.

Talisay City Police Drug Enforcement operatives were able to arrest Vergie and Jumao-as in the first operation.  The suspects yielded suspected shabu worth more than P50,000.

The operatives conducted follow-up operations which led to the arrest of other suspects in Bulacao and Tabunok, specifically Ligan and Cabriana, who were nabbed with almost half a kilo of suspected shabu valued at P5,324,160.

Conag said they already have leads on the possible supplier of the suspects, but they are still conducting verification.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte, in his speech at the League of Municipalities Visayas Island Cluster Conference in Cebu City last August 21, mentioned that Talisay City is the hotbed of illegal drugs in Cebu.

Since August 3, the Talisay City Police already arrested at least 80 suspected drug personalities in its anti-illegal drug operations.

All the arrested suspects are now detained at the Talisay City Jail pending the filing of appropriate charges.

Meanwhile in Balamban, Cebu, at least P1.5 million worth of fully-grown marijuana plants were uprooted by the operatives in Barangay Matun-og, Balamban Cebu on Wednesday morning. — GAN (FREEMAN)