CEBU, Philippines - Almost 60 packs of suspected shabu were seized by police in separate operations on Tuesday.
In Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City Tuesday evening, 34 packs of suspected shabu and a .357 caliber revolver were confiscated from three men.
Brothers Nelson, 28, and Niel Tibay, 18, and Nilo Pacaña, 44 were apprehended by the operatives of City Intelligence Branch who were patrolling around the area.
The Tibay brothers are trisikad drivers and are residing at Sitio Tabay, Barangay Inayawan while Pacaña is residing at Sitio Romblon, Barangay Inayawan.
The police recovered 34 small packs of suspected shabu and a digital weighing scale from the Tibay brothers and a .357 magnum revolver loaded with five live ammunitions from Pacaña.
CIB chief, Superintendent Romeo Santander, said that the arrest of the three is a result of the intensified police patrol they implemented in the area against illegal activities.
He said the public should anticipate the tightened security of the police in Barangay Inayawan due to the series of shooting incidents and other illegal activities reported in the area and in neighboring barangays.
Santander further cited that the firearm recovered from Pacaña will be subjected to ballistic examination.
The illegal drugs seized from Nelson and Niel were submitted to PNP Crime Laboratory for examination.
The Tibay brothers will face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act while Pacaña will face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. The three suspects are currently detained at the Cebu City Police Office detention cell.
Arrested in Tuburan
Meanwhile, at least 24 sachets of suspected shabu were recovered during a buy-bust operation conducted by the elements of the Municipal Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group (MAIDSOTG) of Tuburan Police Station Tuesday afternoon.
The suspected shabu packs were seized from siblings Rex, 46, and Troy Abaquita, 47, both residing at Barangay 1, Tuburan, Cebu.
Troy is reportedly on the watchlist of illegal drug personalities in the area.
The arrest was made following the transaction made by the police with the suspects using a poseur-buyer.
“Kini si Rex, mi-try ni’g dagan pero nadakpan ra dayon. Kini iya’ng igsuon, mi-surrender ra man dayon,” said PO1 Leliano Pepito of Tuburan police station.
After the buy-bust operation, the police searched the house of the Abaquitas through a search warrant issued by Executive Judge Hermes Montero.
The operating team confiscated drug paraphernalia, P2,110 in cash, and three pieces of one hundred peso bills believed to be proceeds from their illegal drug trade.
The Abaquitas are detained at the Tuburan Police Station and are scheduled for inquest before the provincial prosecutor today. — (FREEMAN)