P100,000 worth of shabu seized: Policeman's son, 11 others arrested in Pasil buy-bust op

CEBU, Philippines – Twelve persons, including a son of a police, fell into the hands of the authorities in a buy-bust operation yesterday morning in a drug den in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City that yielded over P100,000 worth of suspected shabu.

The operation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7.

Superintendent Fermin Armendarez III, deputy chief of CIDG, told The FREEMAN that the subject of the operation was Julius Cesare Ompad, 29, a resident of Barangay Pasil.

He said Ompad has been placed under surveillance for two weeks. Authorities recently verified that Ompad was indeed engaged in illegal drug activity which prompted authorities to launch the operation.

During the operation, a policeman who acted as poseur-buyer transacted with Ompad.

Ompad was not considered as a high-value target but only as ordinary "street pusher."

Police seized at least 35 grams of suspected shabu during the operation.

Armendarez said Ompad admitted that he is a son of a policeman.

The FREEMAN withheld the name of the policeman pending his side. The FREEMAN contacted the station where he is assigned but was told that he was not on duty yesterday.

Aside from Ompad, also arrested were Aliezer Avila, 28, of Barangay Kalunasan; Jeffrey Iglesia, 30, of Barangay Kamputhaw; Loel Villamor, 27, of Barangay Cogon-Ramos; Jan Rusvil Genson, 24, of Barangay Pasil; Ronald Allin Bacon, 37, of Barangay Labangon; Basilio Balongcas, 33, of Barangay Inayawan; Whiljun Laborde, 26, of Barangay Pasil; Bryle Niño Abiera, 19, of Barangay Cogon-Ramos; and Dionasel Dayonot, 32, of Barangay Guadalupe.  All are in Cebu City.

Other suspects are Erwinlito Makilang, 19, of Barangay San Isidro, Talisay City and Bernaldo Parba, 37, of Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando town.

They are currently placed inside the CIDG stockade pending the filing of criminal complaints against them for alleged violations of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

All suspects turned their backs and refused to comment when interviewed by the media.

Ompad, for his part, asked the media to respect his constitutional right to remain silent.

"Unta tagaan ko og privacy ug respeto ang di nako pagtubag sa inyong pangutana," he told reporters.

Police will be filing complaints against Ompad for allegedly selling and possessing dangerous drugs, and for maintaining a drug den.

Meanwhile, an 18-year-old suspected drug runner was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen in Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City past 1 a.m. yesterday.

The victim was identified as Jerry Boy Carten, a street food vendor and resident of the barangay.

As per initial inquiry of the police, the suspect was walking along the street when the assailants on a motorcycle, with the driver wearing full faced helmet and the back rider in a hooded jacket, halted near him and shot him twice.

Carten succumbed to gunshot wounds to his neck and chest.

Guillermo, the victim's father, disclosed to the police that his son was involved in illegal drug activity as a runner. Police further found out that the victim was allegedly a drug user and pusher.

Recovered from the crime scene were two empty shells of a cal. 9 mm firearm. —/NSA (FREEMAN)