A scene from the buy-bust operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-7) last May 07, 2021. CDN Digital photo | Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A former amateur boxer and six other drug personalities underwent inquest proceedings after they were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation Central Visayas (NBI-7) operatives last Friday, May 7, 2021, in Sitio Univille in Barangay Kasambagan here.
NBI-7 director Rennan Oliva identified the arrested individuals as former boxer Junrey Baguio, Rogelio Sabellano, George Encontro, Jude Loue Ulgasan, Noel Fernandez, Alvin Veloso, and Kim Sembrano.
Sabellano, Baguio, Encontro, Ulgasan, and Veloso are residents of Sitio Univille, while Fernandez and Sembrano are from Barangay Banilad, Cebu City.
The arrests happened after a concerned citizen reported to NBI-7 regarding a house rented by Sabellano that was used as a drug den.
Sabellano, the subject of the operation, was the drug maintainer, who was reportedly operating for about two years before his arrest. This drug den was the fifth closed by the NBI in Cebu City this year.
A mugshot of the subject of the operation, Rogelio Sabellano. | contributed photo via Paul Lauro
First was in Sambag 1, then in Barangay Tejero. The third and fourth was in Barangay Apas, wherein an active military officer was apprehended. These operations were all reported by concerned citizens.
READ: Active MIG agent, 11 others nabbed in Apas buy-bust
Oliva said that they have conducted two-week surveillance before they closed their transactions with the subject.
Apart from sachets of ‘shabu’ and drug paraphernalia confiscated, operatives also found an unlicensed .38 caliber revolver firearm with live ammunition in Sabellano’s possession.
Sabellano will face charges for violating Section 6, Section 11, Section 15, of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and Republic Act 10591 or Illegal Possession of Firearms. Baguio will also face charges for violating Section 5 and Section 15 of RA 9165. The other four will face charges for violating Section 15 of RA 9165 as well.
READ: 13 construction workers nabbed for turning bunkhouse into drug den
/bmjo