Packs of suspected shabu worth P7.1 million were confiscated from the possession of two men who were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Inayawan, Friday night, November 22, 2019. | Photo courtesy of Inayawan Barangay Captain Kirk Brian Repollo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two men, who were listed as among the notorious drug traders in Central Visayas, finally run out of luck.
Marc Joseph Labrado, 24, and Richard Liquin Gadiane, 28, were arrested while operating a drug den in a house owned by Labrado’s relative in Sitio Isla Verde, Barangay Inayawan in Cebu City past 10 p.m. on Friday, November 22, 2019.
Pardo police confiscated packs of suspected shabu weighing 1.038 kilograms and worth P7.1 million from their possession.
Police Major John Escobar, chief of the Pardo Police Station, said they placed the suspects under surveillance for two months prior to their arrest.
Escobar said that Labrado and Gadiane were very elusive and have managed to avoid arrest for years.
He said that Labrado, who was the subject of their operation, started his operations in Barangay Duljo Fatima but later on moved to Barangay Inayawan. The two barangays are among the drug infested barangays in Cebu City.
“Nabulabog na ni didto sa Duljo mao na nibalhin na sa Inayawan,” he told CDN Digital.
(His operation in Barangay Duljo was interrupted that is why he moved to Barangay Inayawan.)
Escobar said Labrado moved into a relative’s house in Inayawan in September, which he also used as a drug den, while he also continued to distribute shabu to other parts of the City.
During their investigation, Labrado told the police that he would source his supply of shabu from a source outside of Cebu. But Escobar refused to give further information on Labrado’s source of drugs while they conduct follow up operations.
“Ang kalisod sa pag trace gyod aning sa droga nato, compartmentalized ilang operations. Kaila siya sa iyang amo, pero wala na siya kaila sa amo sa iyang amo,” said Escobar.
(We are having difficulties in tracing their source of illegal drugs because of their compartmentalized operation. Labrado knows his boss, but he does not know who supplies shabu to his boss.)
While they continue to follow up Labrado’s case, Escobar is asking Inayawan residents to report to the police drug traders who are operating within their neighborhood.
“Gina empower gyod nato ning barangay, mga sitio, ug residente kay sila man gud nakaila sa ilang mga lugar. Tabangan nila ang pulis sa pagbantay,” he said.
(We are trying to empower the barangays, the sitios and the residents because they are the ones who know people in their neighborhood. They can help the police in watching over their neighborhood.)
Escobar said they have also intensified their watch of the outskirt of Cebu City including Barangays Inayawan, Bulacao, and Pardo since drug traders, who are under threat, would normally hide in these areas. / dcb