CEBU CITY, Philippines – Raven Gonza, 20, was a fixture on the streets of Duljo Fatima in Cebu City driving a passenger ebike.
Arturo Mori, 37, a resident of Barangay Punta Princesa, is a house painter down on his luck.
These two men likely did not know each other. But they had one thing in common – both are engaged in the illegal drugs trade.
Last night, March 8, both ran out of luck, and were arrested in separate drug busts along C. Padilla Street, Barangay Duljo Fatima in the city.
Gonza was caught with five kilos of shabu (crystal meth) that had a corresponding value of P30 million, based on the valuation set by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB). Mori was caught with about P7000,000 worth of the same drugs.
Drug suspect Raven Gonza, 20, hides his face following his arrest on March 8, 2019 after he was caught with 5 kilos of shabu valued at P30 million. |CDND Photo/Benjie Talisic
Senior Inspector Francis Renz Talosig, the chief of the Mambaling Police Precinct (Precinct 11), revealed that Gonza was a drug courier who used his driving an ebike around the barangay as a cover for drug running activities.
He said it took them about two weeks of surveillance before they finally were able to catch him through a sting operation: Gonza sold P50,000 worth of drugs to a poseur buyer.
Talosig said they would coordinate with the other police units in Cebu to determine if the drugs found in his possession were part of the larger drug stash, that included the 28 kilos seized in twin raids in Cebu City and Consolacion last March 3.
Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), has earlier said that they have received information that around 40 kilos of shabu have entered Cebu since December last year and believed that the 20 kilos recovered was part of that supply. He said they were still searching where the remaining 12 kilos went.
Gonza initially denied he was engaged in the drug trade but he later admitted that he was getting paid for delivering drugs.
Duljo Fatima Barangay Captain Elmer Abella said he was also able to confirm from some residents that Gonza was a drug runner in his barangay.
Abella said he was thankful that the police have been very active in the war against drugs in his barangay, and lauded them for the arrest of Gonza and the seizure of the five kilos of shabu, the biggest haul so far in his barangay.
Drug suspect Mori, 37, following his arrest with P700,000 worth of drugs in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City at dawn on March 9, 2019. |CDND Photo/BenjieTalisic
Starting small
Mori, on the other hand, admitted he started small.
Mori, a resident of Sitio Mangga of Barangay Punta Princesa, was caught by policemen from the Labangon Police Precinct (Precinct 10) with around P700,000 worth of shabu past 4 a.m. today, March 9.
Chief Inspector Keith Allen Andaya, Precinct 10 chief, it were the residents in the area who alerted the police about Mori’s drug activities in their community.
Andaya said the mothers in Sitio Mangga were particularly alarmed about the safety of their children because of the numerous number of suspicious looking men would be seen entering and leaving the house of Mori.
Mori admitted he started in the drug business by selling small amounts of shabu to individual user.
By the time he was caught, he was selling larger packets of the drugs. He was found in possession of 105 grams of the illicit drug valued at P700,000.
Community involvement
Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters
Taking these large amounts of drugs off the street is a significant achievement by the police and the communities who help authorities to get this done, said Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, the city’s deputy mayor on police matters.
Tumulak said with the public now invested in helping the police catch drug couriers and pushers, these criminal elements have few places to hide in the city.
“Ang mga tawong nagumon sa drugas ug nag baligya sa drugas kahibawo sila nga illegal ni. Kahibawo sila nga dili ni makaayo ug kahihawo sila nga gukdon gyud sila sa kapulisan. Sa wa pa ang shabu, sa wa pa ang drugas nganong nabuhi man sila. Gusto lang gyud sila manglaktud sila ba. Gusto lang dali’ng kwarta. Mao’y naka deperensya, wa sila maghunahuna unsa ang kadaot nga mahitabo kung naa pa ni sa merkado, kung naa pa ni sa mga kabarangayan karon,” said Tumulak.
(Those drug addicts and pushers know that they are doing is illegal. They know this is a crime and the police will go after them. They made a living before there was shabu. They want to take shortcuts. They only want easy money. There lies the problem. They did not think the extent of the damage it would have caused to the community if these amounts of drugs will get out there in the market, in the barangays.)
Tumulak appealed to those who are still engaged in the drug trade that now is the time to stop, particular that the communities are no longer scared to cooperate with the police.
“Mohangyo lang ta sa mga tawo nga naa nagumon karon sa ginadiling drugas ug nag baligya sa ginadiling drugas nga naa pa may higayon ba nga mag bag-o. Naa ma gyu’y dakung kahigayonan nga mag bag-o. Ayaw paabota nga madakpan mo sa kapulisan kay ang atong katawhan ni kooperar sa kapulisan ug bisag unsa pa sila’g tago…,” he added.
(My appeal to those who are using or pushing drugs is that there is still time for them to change their ways. Don’t wait for the police to come and get you because the public is now cooperating with the police and you now have nowhere to hide.)/elb