Village watcher, laborer nabbed in Talisay City buy-bust

CEBU CITY, Philippines —  A village watcher from Cebu City and a laborer from Talisay City were arrested by personnel of the drug enforcement unit in Talisay City in separate buy-bust operations in Sitio Laray in Barangay San Roque Monday night, July 13, 2020.

At least 20.8 grams of suspected shabu worth P141, 440 were confiscated from suspects Aquilles Abadia Cimafranca, 36, and Paul Tabique Lavarete, 27.

Police Major Gerard Ace Pelare, chief of the Talisay City Police Station, said that a concerned citizen tipped the police that the two would often Sitio Laray to peddle illegal drugs in the area.

Cimafranca is a barangay volunteer who rendered service as a village watcher in Barangay Duljo Fatima when Cebu City was placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) in June.  Lavarete, on the other hand, works as a laborer at the port area in Barangay San Roque in Talisay City.

Pelare said that they first arrested Cimafranca at around 6:30 p.m. while Lavareta was arrested in a follow-up operation 30 minutes later.

“These operations were done in compliance with the thrust of the PNP and the City LGU to relentlessly continue the conduct of law enforcement operations while we battle the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said Pelare.

Pelare said that both men are now detained at the detention facility of the Talisay City Police Station while they prepare complaints for the violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 that will be filed against them.

They also continue to do a background check on the suspects to especially identify the source of their illegal drugs.