Briton, 5 others caught in illegal drug operations

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Police arrested a British man and five others in three illegal drug-bust operations in this city on Tuesday.

In the third anti-illegal drugs operations, the 47-year-old Briton, identified as Paul Reilly, was allegedly caught en flagrante delicto while having a pot session with three others at Purok Gumamela in sitio Canday-ong of Brgy. Calindagan, this city.

The three other suspects were Geralyn Banagodos, resident of Piapi Beach, Gina Faburada, from Jimalalud town and temporarily residing in Bagacay, and Romeo Monceda, 54, who owned the house where the pot session was held. They however denied selling shabu, but admitted as drug users.

They were arrested by joint operatives of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Task Group (PAID-SOTG), headed by Insp. Ryan Jay Orapa, and the City Police, headed by Supt. James Goforth.

Reilly, originally from London but moved to 1511 Shimao, Crongti Be-Liu, Chaoyang, Beijing, China, claimed he is a journalist, working as a cameraman for BBC and CNN, who has been to 15 war zones around the world.

He also claimed to have filmed the tsunami and earthquakes in Japan, and is on a break from the stressful job as a war cameraman. He is temporarily residing in Brgy. Bato of Samboan town in Cebu and came to Dumaguete just to buy shabu.

Reilly admitted he came here on his own, made his own research where to buy the drugs because he was told by his psychiatrist back in Japan that it is good for the “slight condition of his mind.”

He further admitted: “I made a mistake today but I do find that very useful for me to overcome the traumatic experience I had. I know it’s a bad thing in society but I’m not harming anyone, I’m just helping my own mind.”

In the first buy-bust operation at around 1:50 p.m. that day, the police arrested John Ruel Decipolo, 32, of Amlan town in Negros Oriental. Seized from his possession were two sachets containing shabu granules, two lighters, a digital weighing scale, scissor, tinfoil, and a glass tooter. He admitted to selling shabu.

At around 8:25 p.m. Tuesday, the police with PDEA operatives arrested Rex Bucol in Brgy. Cadawinonan of this city and seized from his possession a sachet containing shabu. —(FREEMAN)