8 nabbed, P1M shabu seized in drug busts

CEBU, Philippines – Eight people were arrested by the police in separate anti-drug operations yesterday in Cebu City and Liloan town resulting in the seizure of over P1 million worth of suspected shabu and firearm.

Suspected drug pusher Jonathan Estrera, 36, was arrested by the operatives of Cebu City Intelligence Branch during a buy-bust operation at Sitio Cahipa, Barangay Hipodromo, Cebu City yesterday afternoon.

Also arrested were Roger Ybañez, 32, of Barangay Pasil, Cebu City; Joepe Burgos, 27; Burt Jason Turno, 29; Rey Angelo Peña, 28; and Billy Peña, 38, all residents in the same place.

Superintendent Romeo Santander, CIB chief, said Estrera is a known level 2 drug pusher in the area capable of disposing of at least 200 grams of shabu every week. He had been arrested in 2010 by the operatives of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group. He was recently released from jail after his case was dismissed.

Santander said Estrera was placed under surveillance for two weeks. He said they were also supposed to serve a warrant of arrest against Estrera’s brother, Gernie, yesterday but the latter was not around.

During the buy-bust operation, Estrera handed a pack of shabu worth P500 to an undercover policeman resulting in his arrest. The five other suspects were seen sniffing shabu inside Estrera’s house.

The police seized several packs of shabu weighing at least 85 grams and with an estimated value of P1.003 million. The police also confiscated a caliber .45 pistol with magazine and five rounds of live ammunition.

Santander said that one of the arrested persons sniffing drugs was also a robbery suspect and is currently out on bail.

Estrera denied selling drugs and made insinuations that the evidence seized from him were planted.

“Wala gyud ko kahibawo. Wala man ko namaligya,” Estrera told the members of the media.

In Liloan, suspected drug pusher Bobby Goc-ong, 26, and his alleged cohort, Wilfredo Flores Jr., 35, were arrested during a buy-bust operation yesterday afternoon at Purok Narra, Sitio Greenhills, Barangay Poblacion.

Police Officer 3 Jeyson Gayo, desk officer of Liloan Police Station, said that a team of operatives led by their chief of police, Senior Inspector Ramil Morpos, arranged a transaction with Goc-ong and Flores.

An undercover policeman bought a pack of shabu from the suspects worth P200. Flores, without any hesitation, gave a pack of suspected shabu to the undercover policeman in exchange for P200. He then gave the buy-bust money to Goc-ong.

The police recovered the buy-bust money from Goc-ong and confiscated two medium packs of suspected shabu from him.

Four additional small packs of suspected shabu were recovered from Flores.

The police estimated the drugs confiscated from the suspects to be worth P53,500. —/FPL  (FREEMAN)