File photo from PDEA Regional Office VII
CEBU CITY, Philippines –Suspected shabu worth P408,000 were seized by PDEA agents from two women suspects in a buy-bust operation at Pier 2, Arellano Boulevard, Barangay San Roque, Cebu City, at 11:30 a.m. on January 14, 2021.
The operation was jointly conducted by PDEA RO VII Cebu Provincial Office, Port Police, CPPO-PIU/PDEU, and CCPO Police Station 3.
The suspects were identified as Lorna A. Magbanag, 63, a resident of Barangay San Roque, Cebu City, and Jenny D. Amad, 20, of Barangay Tisa. Magbanag was an arrastre employee for 25 years and was the subject of the operation.
Confiscated from the suspects were three (3) packs of suspected shabu that weighed more or less 60 grams, buy-bust money, and one (1) mobile phone.
According to Leia Albiar, PDEA-7 spokesperson, their informant said that the suspects can dispose of 500 grams of ‘shabu’ per week to laborers and crews of ships docked in the area.
“Iyang (Magbanag) front is mamaligya siya og sigarilyo, tubig, softdrinks, og kanang masima-sima sa mga laborers and crews sa barko. Pero diay to mubaligya sad siya’g shabu,” Albiar said.
Albiar added that aside from pier laborers and crews of ships, Magbanag also caters to outsiders who then distribute the illegal drugs to neighboring barangays such as San Roque, Tinago, Tejero, Carreta, among others.
Magbanag will face charges for violating RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 while Amad will be cited for violating Section 26 which is a conspiracy in relation to Section 5 of RA 9165. Their offenses are non-bailable.
The two suspects are currently in the custody of PDEA-7. /rcg