At least P301,600 worth of shabu, weighing around 44.5 grams, were seized by police operatives in a series of four drug buy-bust operations in Tagbilaran City and Dauis town Tuesday night.
First to be arrested by elements of the Dauis Police Station – Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) at around 6 p.m. Tuesday in Purok 7, Barangay Totolan, Dauis town is one Lauriano Acuña, 56 years old, married, and resident of said barangay.
Acuña was arrested after selling shabu worth P500 to a police poseur-buyer. Four (4) cellophane sachets, estimated to weigh 4-grams with a street value of P27,000, were also found in the possession of the suspect during a subsequent body search.
The operation was led by P/Lt. Bonifacio Tanola, chief of Dauis PNP, and witnessed by officials of barangay Totolan, Dauis and representatives of the media and the DOJ.
In Tagbilaran City, one Marvin John Auguis, a drug personality previously arrested and detained on drug offenses but was released on bail was nabbed in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) and Provincial DEU at around 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Auguis, 28, married, and resident of Purok 3, Sitio Lanao, Barangay Dao, Tagbilaran City, had been the subject of police surveillance after reports that he was still involved in illegal drug activities after his release from jail.
A police poseur-buyer carried out the drug transaction with Auguis, purchasing P500 worth of shabu from said suspect.
In a subsequent body search, the suspect was found in possession of another four (4) cellophane sachets containing the illegal substance, weighing some 2 grams with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P13,600.
Meanwhile, in Barangay Cogon, Tagbilaran City, operatives of the PIB and P-DEU conducted another buy-bust operation at around 9 p.m. which led to the arrest of three (3) suspects identified as Randy Bagayas, 29, a resident of M. Parras St., Poblacion 3, Tagbilaran City; Rein Michael Real, 35, married, a resident of Rizal St., Barangay Cogon, Tagbilaran City, and one Kristoffer Aldo Atienza, 34, single, a nursing aid, and originally from Lapu-lapu City, Cebu.
P/Capt. Gereon Itim, leader of the operating team, said the entrapment operation was set in motion after their intelligence operatives were able to monitor Bagayas selling shabu in Barangay Dampas.
An undercover policeman succeeded in transacting with Bagayas for the purchase of shabu worth P500. However, during the drug sale, it was Real who handed out the one small cellophane sachet to the police poseur-buyer.
After the transaction was completed, back-up policemen arrested the two suspects, Bagayas and Real, including Atienza who was also in the act of purchasing shabu from the suspects.
When police searchers bodily-searched the suspects, another 8 cellophane sachets were found in their possession, weighing an estimated 3.5 grams with a DDB value of P23,800.
Likewise, in another buy-bust operation, elements of the Tagbilaran City Police Station – DEU also arrested two drug personalities who were recently released from jail after plea bargaining agreements on drug charges.
The suspects are identified as Jarvis Brandon Maslog, 33, married, and his cohort, Mark Anthony Lumacang, 23, single, both of who are residents of V.P. Inting St., Tagbilaran City.
The suspects sold P1,000 worth of shabu to an undercover police operative which led to their arrest.
Police also found in the possession of the suspects 8 cellophane sachets containing the illegal substance which weighed 35 grams with an estimated DDB value of P238,000.
Separate charges for illegal sale of shabu, a violation of Sec. 5, and for illegal possession of shabu, a violation of Sec. 11, both of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed by the apprehending policemen against the 8 suspects. (WM)