Earl Rallos, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas spokesman, shows to the media the illegal drugs, money and other items confiscated during the buy-bust operation in Talisay City where Luz Canlobo, a high-level target, and three others were arrested. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) hit their first high-level target for the month and confiscated a kilo of suspected shabu worth at least P6 million during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City in southern Cebu.
The operation was conducted few days after the PDEA was designated to be the lead agency in the government’s war against illegal drugs.
Luz Canlobo did not resist arrest shortly after she accepted the buy-bust money from an undercover agent, said PDEA-7 spokesperson Earl Rallos.
PDEA-7 agents also arrested Rey Suson, John Rey Suello and Pepito Joson.
Canlobo’s husband, Christopher Canlobo, eluded arrest.
Rallos said that Christopher Canlobo is the younger brother of SPO4 Nestor Canlobo, who was earlier relieved from his post at the Talisay Police Station because he purportedly failed to stop the alleged illegal drug activities of his brother.
Rallos said they earlier received an information about the illegal activities of the couple.
PDEA-7 conducted surveillance operations and hatched an entrapment operation.
“They have been selling large amounts of shabu to their customers,” Rallos said.
Rallos claimed that two days ago, the couple allegedly got three to four kilos of shabu from a source in Muntinlupa City.
He also said that suspects could dispose a kilo of shabu every week.
Christopher Canlobo surrendered last December to the Talisay City Police Office during the implementation of the Oplan Tokhang, a campaign where policemen knocked on the door of drug suspects to encourage them to stop their illegal activities.
Christopher, however, continued peddling drugs.
When sought for comment on his brother’s involvement in the illegal drug trade, SPO4 Canlobo said he had been reminding his younger brother to stop peddling illegal drugs.
After his relief from the Talisay City Police Station, SPO4 Canlobo was assigned to the Police Holding Accounting Unit of the Cebu Province Police Office.
Sought for comment, Luz Canlobo, who works as a factory worker in Lapu-Lapu City, said her husband already stopped selling drugs.
“Dili to amo ang drugs nga nakuha sa among balay (We don’t own the packs of shabu recovered inside our home),” she said.
Charges of violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002, particularly for selling illegal drugs, will be filed against Luz at the Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office.
The other suspects will be charged with illegal possession of drugs.
Last Friday’s operation was the second since PDEA was mandated to lead the government’s war on drugs while the Philippine National Police, which has been undergoing an “internal cleansing,” had been ordered to stop their operations in the government’s war against illegal drugs.
“On the part of PDEA-7, we will do our best and even triple our efforts to address the drug menace in our place. We will respond to whatever report relayed to us by the community,” Rallos said./USJ-R Intern Jheysel Ann S. Tangaro