Former seaman, PUJ driver arrested in separate buy-bust operations

Two high-value targets identified as Edwin Saraosos (left) and Henry Lao (right) were arrested by PDEA-7 and the police in their separate buy-bust operations in Cebu City on Friday, July 24, 2020. | Photos courtesy of PIB and PDEA-7

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A jeepney driver and a former seaman landed in jail after they were arrested in separate buy-bust operations in Cebu City on Friday, July 24, for the possession of close to P1 million worth of illegal drugs.

Suspects Henry Abatayo Lao, 47 and Edwin Villegas Saraosos, 47, were arrested in operations conducted by personnel from the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) formerly Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) of Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7).

Lao, a former seaman, was first to be arrested at around 6:30 p.m. in Sitio Kalubihan in Barangay Talamban.

A resident of Sitio Dawis, Barangay San Roque in Talisay City, Lao was found in possession of at least 35 grams of suspected shabu worth P238,000.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Randy Korret, the PIU-CPPO chief, said that Lao was placed under surveillance for a week prior to the operation.

Based on the outcome of their investigation, Korret said that Lao is able to dispose 200 to 300 grams of shabu per week around Cebu City.

He uses his being a driver for a transport network vehicle service (TNVS) company to travel and deliver shabu to his buyers.

“Matagal na po yan naglalaro sa Talisay dati,” said Korret.

(He also used to supply illegal drugs in Talisay City.)

On the other hand, Saraosos, who is a PUJ driver, was arrested an hour later or at around 7:40 p.m., in his home in Barangay Basak Pardo.

Agents of PDEA-7 found him with 100 grams of suspected shabu worth P680,000.

Leia Albiar, PDEA-7 spokesperson, said that the subject of their operation was Saraosos’ cohort, a certain Godofredo Garcia Largo.  However, Largo was not around when PDEA-7 raided Saraosos’ place.

“During operation, nakuha nato si Saraosos nga iya cohort. Tandem daw ni sila duha,” said Albiar.

(During the operation we arrested Saraosos who is his (Largo’s) cohort.  The two men work as a team in their illegal drugs business.)

Albiar said that the two men are able to dispose of about 300 to 500 grams of illegal drugs per week around Basak Pardo.  They were said to have started expanding their business to other areas in the city following the recent arrest of other drug personalities here.

Both Lao and Saraosos are now detained pending the filing of charges for selling and possession of illegal drugs, a violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against them. / dcb