Drug dealers now braver, more daring — PR0-7

Danao City police officers return to the crime scene where suspected drug pusher Julius Gacita and his cohorts Dexter Diango and a certain Edwin were killed after they engaged police in a shootout in Sitio Libon, Barangay Guinsay, following a buy-bust operation. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Illegal drug personalities in Central Visayas have become more dangerous and heavily armed.

According to the head of the Police Regional Office (PRO), Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, drug dealers now have high-powered firearms in some areas of the region as they will do anything to protect their illegal drug business.

Taliño added that drug dealers also believe that police will fear them if they were heavily armed.

“The more we will motivate our policemen to conduct more operations against drug pushers,” said Taliño, adding that he is still not satisfied with his men’s performance on the illegal drug war the past two weeks.

Taliño reminded police operatives to be extra careful following intelligence reports that drug pushers have fully armed themselves.

Last Tuesday, three drug dealers were killed in a shootout with Danao City policemen. They were armed with a machine gun. Earlier, on Jan. 21, two others were killed and five were arrested in an anti-drug operation, still in Danao City after engaging police in a gunfight using high-powered firearms.

Danao City police chief Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos said that arming themselves heavily has become a “trend” among drug personalities.

Others, he said, have a bunch of bodyguards.

There are at least 20 drug personalities monitored by Batobalonos which include old and new players in the illegal trade.

1.1 MILLION DRUGS

In Moalboal town, southwest of Cebu, an estimated P1.1 million worth of shabu (methamphetamine), weighing 96.2 grams, were confiscated from Jemjem Longcob, Jessie Carticiano and Marvin Gabales after a buy-bust operation which also yielded a .38 caliber pistol.

In Pinamungajan town, still in the southwest, two drug suspects identified as Sawhil Generalao and Charlie Rapana evaded arrest after engaging police in a firefight.

In Lapu-Lapu City, seven persons were arrested in a string of police operations beginning Tuesday evening in Barangays Bankal, Pajac, Basak and Gun-ob.

The combined operations in the city netted almost a million worth of shabu and three unlicensed firearms, police said.

Police arrested the following drug suspects: Nicanor Pulvera, Joseph Inot, Rommel Tagalog, John Paul Cabije, Juperlito Degamo, Josedin Sabijon and Gian Mante. Mante’s companion, identified as Jolito Flores, evaded arrest.