Policemen collared drug suspect Allan Bacalso (second from right) and four others during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Ranger 1, Barangay Pooc, Talisay City on Tuesday afternoon, September 1, 2020. | Photo courtesy of CPPO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — After almost a month of placing him under surveillance, police finally collared drug suspect Allan Bacalso in a buy-bust operation late this Tuesday afternoon, September 1, in Sitio Ranger 1 in Barangay Pooc, Talisay City.
The police team also arrested two of Bacalso’s cohorts who were identified as Arvi Fidel Lastimosa, 35, and Raniel Fernandez, 23, and their buyers Jake Beduya, 32, and Churchelle Gomez, 30.
Lastimosa, a job order employee of the Talisay City Health Department, is a resident of Barangay San Isidro while the three others were from Barangay Pooc.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Randy Korret, head of the Intelligence Unit of Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), said that they had been tailing Bacalso, a 26-year-old resident of Barangay Cansojong, for almost a month prior to Tuesday’s operation.
“Yung primary target po is an HVI sa drug trading. Since July po naka receive na kami ng information of his illegal activities. Lumilipat po sya ng area minsan sa Barangay Cansojong,” said Korret.
(The target of our operation (Bacalso) is considered an HVI (high-value individual) when it comes to drug trading. We received information on his illegal activities in July. He would transfer from one place to another and would sometimes stay in Barangay Cansojong.)
After receiving information on the suspect’s presence in Sitio Ranger 1, Korret said that they immediately planned the buy-bust operation.
They arrested the suspect and the four others, who were with him, at the area where he was to meet the police poseur buyer.
Caught by surprise, the five men were unable to resist arrest.
The police team confiscated a total of six grams of suspected shabu worth P46, 000 from the suspects’ possession.
Korret said that Bacalso is able to dispose 50 to 100 grams of shabu per week. He said that the suspect had been very elusive because he would not sell drugs in just one area. Instead, he would meet with his buyers at their preferred places.
The suspects are now detained in CPPO detention facility while police prepare complaints for the violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 that will be filed against them.
Korret said they also continue to conduct follow up investigations to identify Bacalso’s supplier of illegal drugs. / dcb