7 fall in separate anti-drug ops

CEBU, Philippines - Seven persons yielded drugs and firearms in separate anti-drug operations Friday in the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

Around 11:30 p.m. in Zone Okra, Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, operatives of Basak Police Station arrested Aldrin Somosot, 39, married and allegedly a known drug peddler in the area.

During the raid, police also arrested Somosot's girlfriend Jennifer Saga, 26, single of Sitio Salvacion, Barangay Maguikay and their friend Reynante Rosales, 39, married of Barangay Labogon after the two were caught allegedly having a pot session while Somosot was busy entertaining a police decoy.

Somosot was first nabbed after he handed a small pack of suspected shabu to a poseur buyer in exchange for P200 marked money.

But as the police brought Somosot into his residence for a further body frisk, they allegedly caught in the act the suspect's girlfriend Saga engaging in a post session with Rosales.

The frisking on Somosot's body resulted to the confiscation of one small pack of suspected shabu, the P200 marked money, tin foils, several sachets with traces of illegal drugs and a .38 caliber revolver.

Police were also able to seize another .38 caliber revolver from Rosales while drug paraphernalia were recovered from the possession of Somosot's girlfriend.

All three suspects are currently detained at Basak Police Station pending the filing of charges of violation against Section 5 in relation to Section 26 and 12 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and possession of illegal firearms against Somosot and Rosales.

In the nearby Lapu-Lapu City, four persons suspected of peddling illegal drugs were arrested by elements of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office Station 2 in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Bagumbayan 1, Barangay Maribago.

Police seized 25 small packs of assumed shabu from Anjelo Tavera, 35, a resident of Sitio Bagumbayan and Alvin Pangan, 48, who lives in Sitio Looc, both of the same barangay.

Also reportedly arrested were jeepney drivers Jenon Miano, 48, Barangay Gabi, Cordova town and Rolando Siroy, 39, a resident of Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City.

The operation led by Police Senior Inspector Verniño Noserale, chief of LCPO Station 2, was carried out at 8 p.m. when a police poseur buyer bought a small pack of shabu from Taverna.

Police allegedly confiscated 15 small packs of shabu from Taverna, a small pack each from Siroy and Miano while seven packs were recovered from Pangan.

A certain Johnny Paquib reportedly escaped from the arresting police and remains at large, according to Noserale.

The suspects are detained at the police station and are set to face drug charges. (FREEMAN)