Cebu City buy-bust yields P5.4M shabu, nets HVI

Rhoy Stephen Himang (in red shirt) is caught with 800 grams of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City today, October 22. | Photo courtesy of Labangon Police Station

CEBU CITY, Philippines —  A 23-year-old man, whom police described as a high value individual (HVI),  is caught with an estimated P5.4 million worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Tuburan, Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City today, October 22, 2020.

Rhoy Stephen Himang of Sitio Trinidad in the same barangay was arrested at 5:10 a.m. during the buy-bust operation conducted by the Labangon Police Station, said Police Captain Jonathan dela Cerna, Labangon Police Station chief.

Dela Cerna said that Himang was caught with 800 grams of suspected shabu, which had a Dangerous Drugs Board value of P5.4 million.

He said that they placed Himang under surveillance for at least three weeks before they conducted the buy-bust operation.

Read: Ferro: Seized P150M shabu from Myanmar

He also said that they also found out that Himang was included in the drug watchlist in Central Visayas and was described as one who could dispose 500 grams of illegal drugs in a week.

“Kay bodegero man siya unya gikan sa gamay nga pag dispose hangtud sa dinagko na,” said Dela Cerna.

(Because he was a warehouseman and so he started disposing small amounts of shabu and eventually ended up disposing bigger amounts of the drug.)

Dela Cerna said that Himang would meet his clients in person and would deliver the items himself. 

He said that Himang’s market covered Barangays Punta Princesa, Mambaling, Labangon, and Buhisan.

Himang was detained at the Labangon Police Station detention cell pending the filing of charges./dbs