6 suspects arrested, minor rescued in Barangay Suba drug den raid

Six suspected drug personalities were arrested while a minor was rescued during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Suba, Cebu City this morning, April 23, 2021.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Six individuals were arrested while a minor was rescued after PDEA-7 operatives shut down a drug den during a buy-bust operation conducted at 10:30 a.m. today, April 23, 2021, in Sto. Niño Street in Barangay Suba, Cebu City.

According to Leia Albiar, spokesperson of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7), the operatives took two days of case build-up for this operation.

Among the arrested individuals were the drug den maintainers, live-in partners Cristito Mejares, 47, and Cinderella Jimenez, 41, both residents of the said barangay.

Police said the two can dispose of around 30-50 grams of shabu per week.

During the operation, operatives confiscated 14 packs of suspected ‘shabu’ weighing more or less 18 grams with an estimated market value of P122,400.

“Taod-taod napud ni nag-operate based sa reports and giprioritize gyud ni sa team kay breeding ground ni sa criminality and violence ang drug dens and makadisrupt sa peace and order sa community,” Albiar said.

Also, four drug den visitors were arrested. They are Ernani Daro, 31; Rodrigo Biatingo, 28; Anthony Torbila, 18; and Randy Mijarez, 35. A 17-year-old water vendor who was in the den was also rescued.

Albiar said some of those arrested were from Barangay Pasil while the others are natives of Bohol who only worked here.

The suspects are currently detained in the PDEA-7 detention cell waiting for the filing of appropriate charges. They were also subjected to validation whether they have previous criminal records.

As of this posting, Albiar said that they are still coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) for the minor.

Albiar further said that this was the eighth drug den they shut down this month in the region. /rcg