CEBU, Philippines - A 75-year-old woman was arrested in Sitio Cambuntan, Barangay Bolinawan, Carcar City together with her alleged cohorts after the police seized from them at least P236,000 worth of suspected shabu during a raid yesterday morning.
Beatriz Secretaria, who could only walk at a slow pace, claimed she needed the money for her maintenance medicine.
Her arrest came just hours after anti-drug operatives of Lapu-Lapu City arrested two men in Sitio Locatha, Barangay Looc and seized P 2.5 million worth of suspected shabu and firearms last Thursday evening.
Brian Singson, 34, an alleged “level 2 drug pusher”, was arrested inside his house along with his alleged “sidekick” Reyjan Esmalin, 33.
Senior Inspector Verniño Noserale, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office-City Intelligence Branch chief, told reporters that Singson is the main subject of the buy-bust operation that happened around 6:30 p.m.
“Almost two to three years na ni siya (Singson) na-involved sa pagpamaligya og drugs,” Noserale said.
He said Singson can dispose 20 grams of shabu a week, with customers being the ones who go to Singson’s house in Looc to buy drugs.
“Although nagbasi ni siya sa Looc, sila ang adtuon sa ilahang customers kay di man siya mobaligya og ginagmay,” Noserale said.
The smallest amount that Singson would sell is allegedly around five grams of shabu.
The police confiscated from his possession seven large packs and one medium pack of suspected shabu, P6,000 in boodle money, alleged proceeds from his illegal activity amounting to P5,000, one KG-9 sub-machine gun with 10 bullets, and drug paraphernalia.
A sling bag, another four medium packs of prohibited drugs and a .38 pistol with two bullets were also seized from Esmalin.
Noserale said the suspects were monitored for three months before they were arrested.
Singson and Esmalin told a television crew that they were about to stop their drug business only that the police arrested them already.
The suspects are currently detained at the LCPO pending the filing of charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and for illegal possession of firearms next week.
Secretaria, meanwhile, is currently detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 inside Camp Sotero Cabahug in Cebu City pending the filing of charges against her.
Aside from Secretaria, the police also handcuffed her daughter Ethel Intong, Ethel’s husband Marcelo, and two others identified as Regino Cabaluna Jr. and Albert Greg Delantar.
In an interview, Secretaria said she was not the one who hands the illegal drugs to customers, but admitted that her house was used as a drug den.
She said she knew what she was doing was illegal but that she was forced to engage in it for her high blood pressure maintenance medicine.
“Wala man gyud mi kwarta gud. Kailangan pud lagi ko makapalit sa akong tambal. Akong mga anak wala man pud intawon (money),” she said.
She said someone from Badian, Cebu would deliver the illegal drugs to her late each night someone would allegedly come to their house to get the proceeds of the sale of the illegal drugs.
“Depende ra ang ilang ihatag sa akoa kada adlaw. Usahay P500, usahay wala. Pinakadako kay P2,000,” she said.
Secretaria said she had already been arrested last year for the same offense and had resolved to stop after she was able to post bail. She claimed that illegal drug pushers would force to go inside her house and that she could only do nothing since they threatened to do her harm.
Superintendent Marlon Tayaba, CIDG-7 chief, however, said they found out during their investigation that Secretaria is known for selling illegal drugs, prompting them to request the court to issue a search warrant against the old woman.
Regional Trial Court Judge Soliver Peras issued the warrant.
Tayaba said they placed Secretaria under surveillance for almost two weeks before they implemented the search warrant.
Superintendent Fermin Armendares, CIDG-7 deputy chief, said that during the operation, they found Secretaria inside the house together with four others while packs of shabu could be seen on the floor.
He said they confiscated one medium and 240 small sachets of suspected shabu. All the illegal drugs confiscated weighed at least 20 grams, or a total value of P236,000.
CIDG-7 operatives were also able to find one .38 revolver with three bullets and a .22 magnum revolver with four bullets. These firearms were claimed to be owned by Secretaria’s son, Lemuel, who escaped during the operation.
Armendares said Secretaria was a “level two drug pusher” who can allegedly sell at least 200 grams of illegal drugs every week.
Secretaria, Ethel, Marcelo, Cabaluna and Delantar will be facing charges for violating provisions of the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002.
Several hours after, two men were arrested in another anti-illegal drug operation by CIDG-7 at Hillside, Barangay Talamban, Cebu City that led to the confiscation of at least P413,000 worth of suspected shabu.
Ernesto Monterola and Joniel Ornopia were caught selling three sachets of suspected shabu to a CIDG-7 poseur buyer in exchange for P300.
CIDG-7 operatives further seized three large, and three small packs of suspected shabu from them weighing at least 35 grams and worth around P413,000. — / RHM (FREEMAN)