Two dead, nine others caught in drug busts

TWO persons died while nine persons were arrested and more than half a million pesos worth of drugs were seized in separate anti-drug operations launched by the police in Cebu yesterday and last Saturday.

In Barangay Inayagan, Naga City, drug suspect Helbert Tapic and a certain Wilan of Barangay A. Lopez, Cebu City died after they reportedly tried to resist arrest by police in a drug bust last Saturday afternoon.

PO2 John Mark Bungo of the Naga City police precinct said Tapic and Wilan pulled out their guns after sensing the presence of police during a transaction and fired at them, triggering a shootout.

Bungo said the two men’s accomplices identified as Christian Salinas, Alvino Casnise and Reneboy Pardillo acted as lookouts for Tapic who operated a drug den in the barangay.

Recovered from the crime scene were two revolvers, spent shells, one airsoft rifle and small, regular packs of shabu.

In Cebu City, a police team arrested a certain Jonith Uy who carried a plastic box that contained several packets of shabu worth P649,000 during a routine foot patrol in Barangay Sawang Calero.

In Consolacion town, a suspected drug pusher and four other suspects were arrested in a raid at his home in Barangay Danglag.

Chief Insp. Roderick Gonzales, Consolacion police precinct chief, said the suspected pusher identified as Jerome Pieto tried to escape by running outside his home and into the house of Dennis Sasing.

Sasing was with three other men identified as Arnold Capangpangan, Michael Mangilaya, and Lyneth Mae Vega when they were arrested along with Pieto.