Three illegal drug suspects arrested in Balamban town

CEBU, Philippines - Three suspected illegal drug pushers were arrested by the police in separate operations in Sitio Sam-ang, Barangay Pondol, Balamban Tuesday morning.

Police first arrested Rancito “Ranci” Tapdasan, 40, in a buy-bust operation around 1:20 a.m.

Led by Chief Insp. Richard Oliver, Balamban police chief, the police arrested Tapdasan on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Hermes Montero of Regional Trial Court Branch 59 in Toledo City.

Through a poseur-buyer, Oliver’s team bought one small pack of shabu worth P300 from Tapdasan. But right after the transaction, they immediately arrested the suspect.

Police then searched the rented room of Tapdasan and recovered 14 more small packs of shabu amounting to P5,600, drug paraphernalia, and P250 cash.

Tapdasan is reportedly a level two drug pusher and has been involved in the illegal activity for quite some time.

Minutes later, police raided the rented room of Richard “Esat” Mamac, 32, and his live-in partner, Felen Rose Flores, 28, nearby.

The raid was also done by virtue of a search warrant issued by Montero.

Oliver said that suspects were caught in the act arranging shabu on the table.

Confiscated from the couple were six small packs of shabu, drug paraphernalia, a .357 revolver with four bullets and P507 cash.

Oliver said Mamac was a dismissed member of the Balamban Traffic Management Office. But the police chief failed to verify what caused Mamac’s dismissal.

Charges were already filed before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against all suspects, who are now detained at the Balamban Police Station stockade. – (FREEMAN)