Tejero bust yields P1.1M ‘shabu;’ two nabbed

These are the sachets and medium size plastic packs confiscated by the police during the April 5 buy-bust operation in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City. | Benjie Talisic

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 26-year-old man and his 23-year-old girlfriend were arrested after they were caught with P1.1 million worth of suspected shabu in an anti-illegal drugs operation in Back Blessed Sacrament, Barangay Tejero in Cebu City on Friday, April 5.

Melchor Dinawanao also known as Chong of Sitio Villa, Barangay T. Padilla, Cebu City and his girlfriend, Bridget Rose Matbagon of Perez Compound, Barangay Alang-Alang in Mandaue City, were arrested during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tejero at past 4 p.m., said Major Joemar Pomarejos, Waterfront Police Precinct chief.

Pomarejos told CDN Digital in an interview on Friday, April 5, that the target of their operation was Dinawanao but they later learned that he allegedly had a cohort in allegedly distributing the illegal drugs: Matbagon.

Pomarejos said that they confiscated 165 grams of suspected shabu from the suspects, which had an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P1.1 million.

Read more: Cellphone technician nabbed with P3.4M ‘shabu’ in Inayawan bust

The buy-bust operation happened five days after Cebu City Police officers arrested a mother of five in Barangay Sambag I after she was caught with suspected shabu worth at least P680,000 and a cellphone technician was arrested during a buy-bust operation with suspected shabu worth at least P3.4 million.

Read more: Mother of 5 caught with P680K suspected shabu

When sought for comment, the suspects refused to issue any statements or answer questions from the media.

Both suspects were detained at the Waterfront Police Precinct detention cell pending the filing of charges./dbs