A man considered as a high-value target (HVT) in the police’s drug watchlist was arrested in a buy-bust operation which yielded shabu worth P2.8 million in Tagbilaran City on Saturday night, while his alleged cohort in the drug trade managed to escape, police said.

The alleged HVT, Clemen Blanco of Consolacion, Cebu City was collared in Barangay San Isidro in Tagbilaran after allegedly selling shabu to a poseur-buyer.

In a report, police said that both Blanco and a man identified as Simon Gurordo of Tagbilaran attempted to flee but only the latter was able to escape losing the pursuing cops in a bushy area in the village.

According to Captain Gereon Item of the Bohol police Provincial Intelligence Branch, the Regional Special Operations Group 7 placed Blanco under surveillance for two weeks as he regularly traveled between Tagbilaran and Cebu.

Item said that based on the RSOG 7’s surveillance, they were expecting to seize kilos of shabu from Blanco.

However, police only confiscated from Blanco 425 grams of the illegal substance.

Blanco meanwhile denied the allegations saying that the illegal drugs were owned by his companion who he identified as Gurordo.

He claimed that the drug transactions in a cellphone found in his possession were made by Gurordo.

Blanco also told authorities that he was in Tagbilaran City as a lending outfit collector but was unable to show an ID proving his employment or documents related to his work.

He was detained at the Bohol Provincial Police Office headquarters in Tagbilaran City while Gurordo remained at large.

Both are set to be charged with violations against Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (wm)