Guadalupe Police Chief, Chief Insp. Jose Gesto, shows the packs of shabu and money confiscated from drug suspects Richard Balucam (center) and Junryl Bulat-ag (right) in separate operations in Sitio Lareha, Barangay Kalunasan, and in 4th Street Guadalajara, Barangay Guadalupe. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
POLICE arrested two suspected drug pushers during simultaneous buy-bust operations in Barangays Guadalupe and Kalunasan, Cebu City, past midnight Thursday.
Richard Paguidopon and Junryl Bulat-og did not resist arrest.
“Og ni-resist pa ni sila, patay gyud unta. Pero kay wala man, buhi silang duha. (Had they resisted arrest, they would have been dead by now. But because they did not, they are still alive),” said Chief Insp. Jose Gesto, chief of the Guadalupe Police Station.
Charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly selling illegal drugs, will be filed against the two suspects before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office.
Police seized from Paguidopon and Bulat-og a total of 650 grams of shabu (methamphetamine) worth P7.1 million and cash amounting to P31,750.
Gesto said they conducted surveillance operations before they hatched an operation against the two suspects.
Based on the information they received, the two suspects allegedly operate in Cebu City and Bohol.
“Unlike other peddlers, they sell illegal drugs in huge quantities,” Geto said.
Paguidopon and Bulat-og were on the drugs watch list of the Guadalupe Police Station, but Gesto said the two suspects refused to surrender during the implementation of the Oplan Tokhang.
No Let-up
Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, deputy director for operations of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, said there would be no let up in their operations against illegal drugs.
“We shall continue conducting operations to curb illegal drugs even if the six-month period given by the President is over,” he said.
Lawas, head of the Overisght Committee on Illegal Drugs, said they will continue to evaluate the performances of police station chiefs on their efforts to stop illegal drug operations in their respective areas.
“We cannot allow just one policeman to sit down and watch what’s happening. Everybody should be involved in this campaign,” he said.
Lawas said PRO-7 intends to convene owners of disco houses in Metro Cebu to help them fight illegal drugs.
“Based on reports, exchange of drugs and money happen in disco houses. I’m not saying this is true, but we just want to explore,” he said.
Lawas said police station chiefs who fail to solve the drug problem will be relieved from their posts while top performers will be recognized.