CEBU, Philippines - Eight suspected drug users were arrested in two separate buy-bust operations conducted by the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office in Barangay Gun-ob.
Rudney Taping, 32, resident of Sitio Humay-Humay; Armand Pinote, 32; and Jocelyn Paragsa, 26, both of Sitio Sangi, Barangay Pajo, were arrested in an operation led by Senior Inspector Rogelio Pineda.
As the operation furthered, 42-year-old Reynaldo Lumar of Purok Kangkong was also arrested after he was caught in "flagrante delicto" of sniffing suspected shabu in the area.
Insp. Pineda said another man named Dennis Oyao of Barangay Marigondon evaded arrest.
Five small packs of suspected shabu and two P100 bills were confiscated from Rudney's possession while two medium, heat-sealed sachets of reported shabu and an unlicensed .22 magnum revolver with six live ammunitions were seized from Pinote.
Another four small sachets of suspected shabu were recovered from Paragsa and two small packs were seized from Lumar, according to Pineda.
Insp. Pineda said a motorcycle unit with plate number 5835 IQ was also recovered within the vicinity. It was reportedly owned by Oyao, who managed to evade arresting officers.
Five days ago, another drug group was arrested in Sitio Kinalumsan were police swooped on an illegal drugs with estimated street value of P 62,540, according to Pineda.
Baby "Carding" Berdin, Dominica Potot, 50, both residents of Sitio Kinalumsan, and Sarah Mae Libaton, 27, who lives in Sitio Kapayas, were arrested.
A small pack of suspected shabu was recovered each from Berdin and Libaton while five small sachets and a medium-size pack of illegal drugs were seized from Potot's possession.
Berdin, however, managed to escape, taking away with him the P500 marked money.
The escaped suspect is now under the police watch list while the detained drug users will face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (FREEMAN)