116 persons arrested in weekly police ops

CEBU, Philippines — More than a hundred individuals from Cebu City were arrested in the 39th weekly police roundup in their campaign against all forms of criminality, which yielded more than P1.6 million worth of illegal drugs.

In Talisay City, meanwhile, seven were arrested, including a brother of a policeman, in a buy-bust operation at Sitio Tabay and Zone 5 Florida Ville, Barangay Dumlog Friday night.

The latest police roundup was done simultaneously by the 11 police stations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), in coordination with the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) and City Drug Enforcement Unit.

CIB Chief Christopher Navida said that the police operations remained unchanged despite the fact that they sent some of their personnel for the 34th Maritime Transport Working Group Meetings held in Bohol and for the National Day of Protest last Thursday.

“Na-manage naman ng mga personnel natin yung weekly na program ng Oplan Pokemon.  Meron tayong mga dedicated na police officers na intended na for the task na yon”, Navida said.

The police recovered a total of 111 packs of suspected shabu with an estimated weight of 137.31 grams worth P1,620,258.

The police also confiscated an unlicensed .38 revolver, a KG-9 submachine gun and a .45 pistol, all with bullets.

They have also recovered P7,785, believed to be proceeds from the arrested persons’ illegal drug trade.

“Ang bilang ng arrested ngayon ay hindi nagkakalayo sa previous.  Kasi kung tutuusin naman ang gusto natin ay ma-lessen ang number of arrested personalities para sa ganun ay makita natin yung mamamayan sa Cebu City ay talagang nag-shift na sila from doing illegal things to being law-abiding citizens”, Navida said.

In Talisay City, Police Officer 2 James Cabrillos said they conducted a buy-bust operation against Manuel “Manman” Campo, 38, a resident of Sitio Tabay, Barangay Dumlog.

The police recovered from Campo’s possession 19 packs of suspected shabu and a KG-9 firearm with two magazines, loaded with 50 live bullet, a cellphone and P10,000.

During the interrogation, Campo confessed that his supply of illegal drugs came from a certain "Ian," which prompted the police to immediately conduct a follow-up operation against Eleazar Ian Cortes, 40, a resident of Barangay Biasong.

The operatives were able to arrest Cortez and seized 22 medium packs of suspected marijuana, weighing scale, a 357 revolver with two live bullets and an S&W Frontier, with three bullets for an M16 rifle.

Also arrested were Marvin Cortez, 21; Rolando Sentillas, 38; Dante Cumbre Jr., 35, all of Tres de Abril, Cebu City; Ely Ebajan, 29, of Urgello Street, Cebu City and Baby Girl Resil, 34, a resident of Minglanilla, Cebu.

All were caught allegedly in possession of illegal drug paraphernalia.

Talisay Police Station chief Jason Villamater said that Ian Cortes is a brother of an alleged narco-policeman, but they are still verifying the information.

Meanwhile, Lapu-Lapu City’s number 5 high-value target was nabbed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Calawisan, Lapu-Lapu City Friday night.

The police identified the suspect as Rey Ann Gingoyan, 27.

Police Senior Inspector Felix Cleopas III, Gun-ob police chief, said Gingoyan is a level 2 high-value target, considering that he can dispose about 25 to 50 grams of illegal drugs weekly.

The police recovered eight packs of suspected shabu worth P37,996.

In the interrogation, Gingoyan reportedly told the police that he gets his supply of shabu in Cebu City.

Gingoyan reportedly also sells drugs in the neighboring barangays including Calawisan and Canjulao.

"Actually, idlas ni siya. Ang iyang baligyaan ani kay kana ra gyung iyang regular customers," said Cleopas.

Gingoyan has been under police surveillance for more than two weeks. –/GAN (FREEMAN)