1 killed, P600K ‘shabu’ seized in drug busts

One was killed and more than P600,000 worth of illegal drugs were confiscated in separate drug buy-bust operations in Cebu in a span of two days.

In Barangay Sambag I, Cebu City, a drug suspect was killed in a buy-bust operation yesterday at 1:55 a.m.

Melvin Chavez, in his early 30s, who hailed from Negros Island, was shot dead by one of the operatives after he pointed a gun at another policeman.

Senior Insp. Narolf Tan, City Intelligence Branch deputy chief, said that Chavez had links with Sharon Abella, a high-value drug personality who was arrested with PO1 Gem Quiruben in May last year.

The police confiscated from Chavez one large pack, three medium packs and six small packs of suspected shabu weighing 40.24 grams valued at P140,840, a .38 caliber revolver and P500 buy-bust money.

In Consolacion town, northern Cebu, the joint teams from the Drug Enforcement Unit headed by Senior Insp. Romeo Caacoy Jr. and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) confiscated P129,000 worth of suspected shabu from suspects Rodney Gomez, 30; his live-in partner Rena Mae Bacus, 26; and cohort Jonmar Pautang, residents in the area, during a “One Time Big Time” buy-bust operation around 5 p.m. last Friday in Barangay Pulpogan.

In another buy-bust operation at around 10 p.m. of the same day, Consolacion police also arrested Rey Chris Ermac, 30, and Marlou Ponce, 44.

According to PO1 Jenny Rusiana of Consolacion Police Station, Ermac tried to run towards a makeshift hut nearby after sensing that he was transacting to a police poseur-buyer, but the latter caught him after a brief chase. Ponce, who was allegedly inhaling shabu inside the hut, was also arrested.

Recovered from Ermac were five small sachets and five medium packs containing illegal drugs believed to be shabu with an estimated value of P365,000, P200 buy-bust money and P1,000 believed to be proceeds from the illegal drug trade, while from Ponce was caught with a small sachet and drug paraphernalia.