3 fall in buy-bust

CEBU, Philippines - Three persons were arrested in an anti-illegal drug operation in Sitio Maxima, Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City last Tuesday afternoon.

Renato Talingting, 38, resident of the said place, was arrested in a buy-bust around 2:15 p.m. Also picked up were Luchi Mahusay, 32, and Rosalita Taghoy, 26, resident of Sitio Buyong, Barangay Maribago.

Police Chief Inspector Mark Sucalit, chief of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office - City Intelligence Branch, said both Talingting and Mahusay, who are neighbors in Sitio Maxima, were caught after handing over one small sachet of shabu to the police poseur buyer.

Twenty-one small sachets of suspected shabu were seized from Mahusay while two medium packs of the same content were  confiscated from Talingting, who was the main subject of the operation.

Talingting is included in LCPO’s Top 10 Most Wanted Drug Personalities in the city.

Police were also able to confiscate from Talingting cash of P550 which was said to be the proceeds of illegal transactions, as well as one improvised shot gun with two cartridges, said Sucalit.

Sucalit added that another two packs of small sachets, a brown wallet, and drug paraphernalia were confiscated from Taghoy. The police recovered their P200 buy-bust money.

The three drug suspects are detained in LCPO- Holding Cell and will face charges under Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 while a separate case of Illegal Possession of Firearms and Live Ammunition will be charged against Talingting. — Christell Fatima M. Tudtud (FREEMAN)