P1M shabu, 4 arrested in separate drug busts in Cebu City

Drug suspect Lemuel Cañizares, 28, one of the four arrested in separate drug busts in Cebu City on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, is caught with P175,304 worth of shabu in Barangay Mambaling. |CDND Photo/Benjie Talisic

CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least P1 million worth of drugs  were seized by police operatives in separate anti-drug operations in Cebu City today, February 15.

The three operations also netted for the police four drug suspects, reports from the concerned precincts of the Cebu City Police Office (CPPO) showed.

The first operation, implemented at around 9 a.m., was conducted in Sitio Manggahan,  Barangay Basak San Nicolas Cebu City. It led to the arrest of  Zander Chu, 36, a  fishball vendor, according to a report released by the drug enforcement unit of CCPO.

The operating team confiscated shabu worth P360,644 from Chu, who was also jailed in August last year because of a drug case and was out on bail.

One hour and a half  later, another team of operatives from same unit led by Chief Inspector Chuck Barandog conducted a drug bust in Barangay Duljo Fatima and arrested two suspects,  identified as Rickie Rivas,  40, and a resident of  Borromeo Street, Barangay Kalubuhan; and Child Jay Cabellon, 21, of  C. Padilla St., Barangay Duljo Fatima.

Around P500,000 worth of shabu in several packs were seized from the two suspects, the report released by Barandog said.

Later at dusk, or at about 5 p.m., operatives from the Mambaling Police Station (Precinct 11) led by Senior Inspector Francis Renz Talosig collared Lemuel Cañizares, alias Paping,  28, and a resident of the barangay.

He was caught in possession of P175,304 worth of  shabu placed inside an eyeglasses case.

Senior Inspector  Arieza Otida, the public information officer of CCPO, said the operations were part of the city police’s relentless campaign against illegal drugs and the arrest of  big time drug operators in the city.

Otida revealed that Chu has long been in the list of suspected drug peddlers by the Barangay Anti Drug Council (Badac) of  Barangay Basak San Nicolas and the police finally found the opportunity to catch them redhanded today.

The  two men collared in Barangay Duljo Fatima – Rivas and Cabellon – were newly identified drug personalities, said Otida.

Cañizares, on the other hand, reportedly had been getting his drug supply from a dealer based in Barangay Duljo Fatima, added Otida. /elb