Drugs worth P10 million seized, 3 suspects fall

CEBU, Philippines — Authorities have seized more than P10 million worth of illegal drugs in separate buy-bust operations Wednesday evening that led to the arrest of three drug peddlers, including a high-value individual, in the cities of Mandaue and Cebu, respectively.

Joint operatives of City Intelligence Unit and City Drug Enforcement Unit of Mandaue City Police Office and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 arrested Lolita Parba, 46, at M. Logarta St., Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19.

Parba, a resident of Sitio Kimba, Barangay San Roque, Talisay City, was caught in possession of more than one kilo of shabu worth P7 million. The suspect admitted in an interview with The Freeman her involvement in illegal drugs.

She said that poverty prompted her to engage in illegal drug trade. According to Parba, she was only hired to deliver illegal drugs from someone she does not know personally.

Parba said she was only told that her boss is someone from Abuyog, Leyte. The suspect said it was only her second time to deliver illegal drugs.

But Police Col. Julius Sagandoy, Mandaue City Police Office director, said Parba is in the list of high-value individuals. She was placed under surveillance for four weeks before a buy-bust operation was hatched against her.

Sagandoy said Parba’s illegal drug operations span the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

In another operation, operatives of the Drug Enforcement Unit of Police Station 1 of MCPO also seized 400 grams of suspected shabu worth more than P2M from Christian Oliver Tabuco, 22, alias Yan-yan, a resident of Barangay Guizo, Mandaue City. He was arrested in Barangay Centro about 10:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, at least 100 grams of shabu worth P680,000 have been confiscated by the operatives of Drug Enforcement Unit of Guadalupe Police Station 9 from Junjie Baclayon, 38, resident of Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

Baclayon was arrested at 10:55 p.m. on Wednesday in his place of residence during a buy-bust operation.

All the arrested drug suspects will be charged with violation of Sections 5 and 11, Article 2 of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. – FPL (CEBU NEWS)