Buy-bust nets 16

CEBU, Philippines - Sixteen persons, including a suspected drug pusher and five minors, were arrested inside a drug den following a buy-bust operation in Sitio Ponyang, Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City, Friday evening.

The alleged pusher, identified as Janet Domin, 35, was arrested by joint elements of the City Intelligence Branch, the Mambaling Police Station and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7.

The police also seized 235 small packs of suspected shabu, a North American Arms black widow .22 cal. revolver with three live rounds, and P530 cash. All the drugs seized was estimated at P80,000.

The police also arrested five male minors aged 9 to 14 sniffing shabu in one of the rooms of the drug den.

Superintendent Romeo Santander, CIB chief, said that he himself could not believe at first that these children are involved in drugs. He said that they were all surprised by what they saw during the operation.

“Naaktohan gyud sila nga nagkupot pa og tooter. Nakurat lang gyud ko. Bisan in-anang edara, mogamit na og shabu. Di ko makatuo pirmero ani nila. Pwerte gyung gamaya,” he said.

Santander said that the minors admitted using shabu to keep them awake and in condition while selling newspaper along the streets starting from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. the following day.

“Ang ilang rason nga aron kuno dili sila dukaon mamaligya og newspaper sa kadalanan,” he said.

The five minors were immediately turned over to the Department of Social and Welfare Services of the Cebu City government headed by Dr. Ester Concha.

Another ten adults were caught in the act sniffing shabu inside the drug den. They were identified as Beryl Loren Pane, Josefa Tabasa, Sally Mangolari, Jerry Ybañez, Roger Abellanosa, Julius Atillo, Velvic Tabasa, Christian Aguilos, Christian Bautista and Aldwin Abejo.

Santander said that Pane, Tabasa and Mangolari reportedly worked in shifts as caretakers of the drug den while most of the seven other suspects were motorcycle-for-hire drivers.

Assorted drug paraphernalia found scattered inside two of the rooms in the drug den used as sniffing rooms were also confiscated. The police also seized two moli-moli slot machines, a video karera machine and two bingo machines near the area.

Santander said that the drug den was not far from the barangay hall of Duljo-Fatima. He added that they already an idea who owns the drug den but this information will still be subjected to validation.

Cebu City Police Office officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Mariano Batiancela went to the area during the operation.

Earlier, the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force identified nine barangays in Cebu City as seriously affected. These were Kamagayan, T. Padilla, Lorega, Luz, Pit-os, Pulangbato, Talamban, Bacayan and Duljo-Fatima.

YES TO SYRINGES

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he is supportive of the harm reduction program that the City Health Department is implementing in Barangay Kamagayan.

This is in contrast to the position of a member of the Cebu City Anti-Drugs Abuse Council (CADAC), which opposes to the program. Rama is the chairman of CADAC.

The harm reduction program of CHD distributes free syringes to those who inject drugs. The program aims to keep more people from contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which leads to AIDS.

Rama wants to meet representatives of CHD, CADAC, and City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention to review its position against the harm reduction program.

Rama said he is supportive of the program because HIV is not an ordinary sickness.

“We have to review this matter. Lingkoran gyod na nato,” he said.

Rama said that he will not argue with the position of CADAC member Paul Oaminal, who has been vocal against the idea.

Oaminal contended that the program tolerates the use of illegal drugs. But Rama said that he need not defend the program, saying that it has not come out from nowhere.

“That is a national direction bringing this protocol, now if the local government will say we’re not going to agree with it, can we offer a better position? Can we offer a better solution?” he said.

Rama also said that the program has been implemented in various places around the world.

“If this will not come out openly, we will never know one day you will get into them and what will happen? It will create a domino effect,” he said.

Rama, however, admitted that there are laws that need to be reconciled in implementing this program.

“But if we are going to wait for the laws to be reconciled, we might be spreading more and more, because there is no such thing as control, confine, and being known,” he said.

Rama said he will meet with the representatives of agencies as soon as possible to reconcile their position.  — /BRP (FREEMAN)