Two of Mabolo’s target drug suspects arrested

CEBU, Philippines - The second and sixth most wanted persons in Mabolo Police's Station Lambat Sibat target list were arrested by operatives of the City Intelligence Branch in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Apas, Cebu City around 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Senior Inspector Rolito Supatan, CIB deputy chief, said the arrest of Virgilio Machang, 52, a resident of Upper Panabang, Barangay Apas, came after his alleged buyer, Rommel Capuyan, 40, a resident of Sitio San Miguel, Barangay Apas was arrested minutes before the operation.

Machang and Capuyan are second and sixth, respectively, in the police station's Lambat Sibat target list.

Supatan said their office received a call from a concerned citizen regarding an alleged drug session at the back of the old Regional Training School-7 in Sitio San Miguel.

Supatan's men went to the area and caught Capuyan allegedly in the act of using shabu.

Supatan said they were able to seize from Capuyan's possession two pieces of hand-rolled tin foils used as improvised tooter, one piece tin foil strip used as funnel and one disposable lighter used for sniffing shabu.

During the interrogation, Supatan said Capuyan admitted that his source of illegal drugs is Machang.

"Using P300 as buy-bust money we conducted the operation against Machang," he said, adding they were able to confiscate six small sachets and one medium plastic pack believed to be shabu from the possession of Machang.

Capuyan refused to comment on the allegation against him, but Machang said it has not been long since he has started operating the illegal drug trde.

"Maoy pagbalik nako ani kadtong time-ma gyud. Na buy-bust man ko di mao nato'y last. Pagbalik nako naigo man ko dayon," he said when asked if he has long been into the drug trade.

In 2009, Machang was detained for violation of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and was released in 2011. (FREEMAN)