P510-K worth of illegal drugs, firearms seized from suspected hitmen in Sibulan town

Authorities conduct an inventory of the illegal drugs and firearms recovered in the possession of Rayan Fontejon and Gil Catacutan (wearing green shirts with heads bowed down) who were both identified as drug targets of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office. | Contributed Photo / NOPPO

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — Two drug personalities were arrested by police in possession of P510,000 worth of illegal drugs in a buy-bust operation conducted on Saturday, December 21, in the town of Sibulan.

The suspects, Rayan Fontejon and Gil Catacutan, were also collared in possession of various firearms in a house that they lived in, which is located in Purok 6, Barangay Cangmating, Sibulan, Negros Oriental.

Fontejon, 29 and resident of Barangay Cangmating, has been identified by authorities as a high-value target (HVT). Catacutan, 37, who hails from Barangay Okiot in Bais City, was identified as a street level target just recently.

Both suspects are married.

The operation was conducted by the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO) led by Police Colonel Wilfredo Alarcon and the Sibulan Police Office.

Authorities seized 75 grams of shabu (methamphetamine) with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P510,000.

In an interview with CDN Digital, Alarcon said operatives searched the house and recovered various ammunitions.

These include one caliber 9mm Ingram sub-machine gun, one long magazine for caliber 9mm Ingram (sub-machine gun), two caliber 9mm ammunition, one black sling bag, one caliber  .45 with tampered serial number,  one steel magazine for caliber 45 and five pieces of caliber . 45 ammunition.

Alarcon said the seized firearms will be subjected to ballistics examination to determine if they were not use kill small time drug personalities who fail to remit drug proceeds.

“Among duda, mga posibling hitmen to sila. Mao to sila ang mga mobira sa ilang mga tawo nga dili motuman sa ilang transaksyon. Ipa-ballistics namo ang mga armas para i-crossmatch sa mga series of shooting incidents diri,” Alarcon said.

(We suspect that the two are hitmen. They are the ones designated to kill the persons who do not follow the set transaction. These firearms will undergo ballistics examination so we can crossmatch them with the series of shooting incidents here.) / celr