Two “surrenderees” of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign “Oplan Tokhang” were arrested in separate entrapment operations conducted by police in the neighboring towns of Buenavista and Sagbayan Wednesday afternoon.
A total of P3,000 worth of shabu, weighing about 1.2 grams, were confiscated from suspects Roderick Celocia, 27, single, a resident of Bunotbunot, Buenavista, and Anthony Jumamoy, 59, married, and resident of Poblacion, Sagbayan.
First to be arrested was Celocia, who was nabbed in a buy-bust conducted by operatives of the Buenavista Police Station – Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) in barangay Sweetland of said town at around 3 p.m. Thursday.
DEU operatives led by P/Capt. Rico Emperwa were able to monitor Celocia after receiving reports of his involvement in the sale of shabu. An undercover policeman pretended to purchase P500 worth of the illegal substance from Celocia.
After the drug transaction was consummated between the police poseur-buyer and the Celocia, back-up policemen immediately arrested the suspect who, in a subsequent body search, yielded another three (3) small cellophane sachets containing shabu.
The operation was witnessed by representatives of the Department of Justice (DOJ), media and barangay officials.
At around 5 p.m. Thursday, operatives of the Sagbayan Police Station – DEU were able to arrest Jumamoy, who was also a “surrenderee” of “Oplan Tokhang” and a former municipal government employee.
The Sagbayan-DEU have been conducting surveillance on Jumamoy after reports he has been selling shabu in the Poblacion area.
A police poseur-buyer succeeded in buying P500 worth of shabu from the suspect. While already in police custody, a police searcher who bodily-searched Jumamoy seized from his possession another four (4) small cellophane sachets containing the illegal substance.
Police are now preparing to file separate charges against the two (2) suspects for illegal sale and illegal possession of dangerous drugs, all violations of Sec. 5 and Sec. 11 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (KB, WM)