Drug bust nets Level 3 pusher in Carcar City

CEBU, Philippines - Several packets of what’s believed to be shabu worth almost P30,000 and assorted firearms were seized by the Provincial Intelligence Branch in a buy-bust operation Sunday evening in Barangay Perrelos, Carcar City.

Suspect Elanito “Lani” Quijano, 52, resident of the said barangay, failed to resist the arrest when operatives caught him off guard right after the transaction was consummated.

Recovered from Quijano were 19 small four medium and a large packet of shabu, drug paraphernalia, digital weighing scale, improvised shotgun with seven ammunitions, .38 revolver, .22 revolver and P500 marked money.

Illegal drugs recovered were taken to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug for chemical analysis while the firearms were also submitted for ballistics examination.

Quijano was under surveillance for three weeks before the operation was carried out 6 o’clock in the evening at his residence.

Quijano was then handcuffed when he received the P500 marked money in exchange for a medium packet of shabu.

“He did not resist the arrest because his firearms were on the table and not in his possession,” Senior Inspector Leo Logroño, team leader, told The FREEMAN, adding that Quijano was a level three drug pusher in the area.

Quijano was also in the drugs watch list of the Carcar City Police Station.

Logroño said that Quijano was convicted for the crime of murder in 1985. He was jailed in New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City until 1998.

Just this year, Quijano started engaging in illegal drugs, an activity many residents raised complaints over, which resulted to his arrest.

Operatives are now checking if  Quijano has other pending cases aside from the illegal drugs case he will be facing.

“Wa mi nadunggan nga naa siya’y laing kaso pero mao pa na among gi-check karon,” Logroño said.

Police will be filing charges in violation of Sections 5, 11 and 12 of R.A. 9165 or Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, as well as of R.A. 10591 or Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunitions Regulation Act. (FREEMAN)