In less than a month CCPO drug haul: P7M

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Police Office has already confiscated P6 million to P7 million worth of illegal drugs in less than a month of intensified anti-drug operations which also resulted in the arrest of a suspected drug lord and other big time drug personalities.

Supt. Romeo Santander, chief of the City Intelligence Branch, said that the death of suspected big time drug pusher Lloyd Cabahug after he traded gunfire with the police during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Duljo-Fatima Friday evening should also serve as a warning to all drug pushers operating in Cebu City.

“Let it serve as a warning, kung ganahan mong magsupak-supak sa balaod gukoron gyud mo namo,” Santander said.

“As much as we wanted to save lives but di sad me mag-hesitate kung mosukol sila namo,” he added.

Cabahug was killed after shooting it out with the CIB operatives during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Riverside, Duljo-Fatima. A bystander, Edward Adaza, was injured during the shootout after he was caught in the crossfire.

Santander, despite receiving death threats, vowed to sustain its anti-drug campaign. He said that the city police are committed to save the public from “drug-driven criminality.”

Santander said that they have observed that most of the recorded crimes in the city rooted from the use of illegal drugs. Since the CCPO started the intensified campaign, Santander estimated the total drug haul to be at P 6 million to P7 million.

This is excluding the P8 million worth of shabu confiscated by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. Santander said the intensified anti-drug operations is in keeping with the marching order from Police Regional Office-7 director, Chief Supt. Prudencio “Tom” Bañas, to conduct an “all out war” against drugs.

Last week Henry Monterde, an alleged drug lord in Barangay Sambag I, was arrested by CIB operatives during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Ina-yawan.

At least 22 bundles of dried marijuana leaves and 15, 000 sticks of rolled marijuana were seized during the operation.

“Mga estudyante gyud ang target aning mga marijuana kay bag-o pang sugod ang klasi,” Santander said.

Santander thanked the public for being supportive in their campaign. In fact, most of the successful operations were based on the tips given to them by concerned citizens.

“Nagpakabana gyud ang publiko, hinaot nga continue ang cooperation sa publiko ug sa kapolisan,” he said.

He said that now they are slowly earning the trust of the public through their intensive campaign against drugs. 

“Morag hina-hinay na nga nabalik ang pagsalig sa publiko sa kapolisan… though not 100% but nabati sa kapolisan ang ilang pagsalig,” he added.

Santander’s counterpart in the Cebu Provincial Police Office, Supt. Rodolfo Albotra, said they are focusing its efforts to make arrests of drug personalities who are in their list.

Albotra, chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch, said several drug personalities in their list are now under surveillance. He said some of the personalities in the PIB list were already arrested. He cited the arrest of Danileto “Danny” Bontuyan Lopez, 43, of Barangay Cogon, Cordova.

Lopez was a noted robber and drug pusher who is number 2 in the PIB list of robbery suspects in the entire province.

The police confiscated P100,000 worth of illegal drugs from Lopez during his arrest.— (FREEMAN)