At least P3.4 million worth of suspected shabu were confiscated from a high-value target, identified as Jericho Infantado, during a buy-bust operation on Friday, June 26, 2020, in Barangay Bolinawan, Carcar City. | Photo Courtesy of PDEA-7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — In a span of six hours, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) confiscated close to P4 million worth of illegal drugs and arrested three suspects in separate operations held on Friday, June 26, 2020.
The PDEA-7 operations were made in Barangay Bolinawan, Carcar City at around 1:30 p.m. and in Sitio Manggahan, Barangay Pakigne, Minglanilla town around 1:30 p.m. on the same day where they confiscated a total of P3.9 million worth of illegal drugs weighing 577 grams.
Operatives arrested Jericho Infantado, 45, in their Carcar City operation for the possession of P3.4 million worth of suspected shabu at about 1:30 p.m.
Infantado, a high-value target, was a full-time peddler who uses his home that is located just across the barangay hall in Barangay Bolinawan to distribute illegal drugs. He is able to dispose 300 to 500 grams of shabu per week, said PDEA-7 Director Levi Ortiz
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Ortiz said that it was important that Infantado was arrested because he poses a threat in their area especially since located beside the Bolinawan barangay hall was an elementary school.
“What is troubling kay ang atbang niya si barngay hall unya kilid sa brangay hall is elementary school… dako siya nga threat mao mas maayo nadakpan siya di gyud siya ma hadlok mamaligya in front sa barangay hall,” said Ortiz.
(What is troubling is that he lives just across the barangay hall and beside the barangay hall is an elementary school. The suspect is a big threat in their community and it was a big achievement that we were able to neutralize him because he will no longer be able to dispose of illegal drugs across their barangay hall.)
Following Ifantado’s arrest, Ortiz said that they will also probe the failure of barangay officials to detect his activities and report this to authorities.
Ortiz said a tip coming from a concerned citizen led them to the suspect’s whereabouts.
Six hours later or at around 6:30 p.m., PDEA-7 also arrested Ruel Baynas, 32, and Rosebelt Lañojan, 41, who claimed that they were brothers, for the possession of 77 grams of suspected shabu worth P523,600 and an unlicensed .38 revolver.
However, the subject of their buy-bust operation, who was identified as a certain Niño, and his cohort, Elmer Respecio, were able to elude arrest.
The suspects transacted with a poseur buyer just a few meters away from the brothers’ house in Barangay Pakigne.
Read: PDEA-7 drug bust nets 2 men, yields P523K shabu
Ortiz said that Lañojan sustained a bullet wound on his right hand after he fired at PDEA-7 operatives, but missed. Agents hit the suspect during their return fire.
Agents continue to investigate the two arrested suspects to especially get more information on Niño and Respecio and their source of illegal drugs. / dcb