At least eight individuals including two women were arrested after operatives conducted a buy-bust operation past noon on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, in Sitio Tinabangay, Brgy. Mambaling, Cebu City. | Photo from PNP-SOU-7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least eight persons including two women were arrested after operatives conducted a buy-bust operation on a drug den in Sitio Tinabangay in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, around 12:40 p.m. on Tuesday, October 5, 2021.
Police Major Alejandro Batobalonos, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Operations Unit (SOU-7), identified the subject of the buy-bust as Kaypee Pia, male, jobless, 31, and a resident of Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City.
Others nabbed along with Pia were Jesus Espina, 37; Rexon Ylaya, 37; John Paul Salgado, 40; Mathew Froilan Aganan, 39, Junery Eran, 36; Ramelisa Donaire, 26, and Rosemarie Dela Cruz, 24.
The seven were from different barangays in Cebu City and Camotes, police said.
Operatives recovered at least 35.58 grams of ‘shabu’ inside the drug den which has an estimated market value of P241, 944, and some drug paraphernalia.
Batobalonos said that their operation stemmed from the complaints of concerned residents regarding the alleged drug den in the sitio. He disclosed that this was the third time that they conducted an operation in the said drug den but different maintainers kept coming back.
“Mao nga amoa lang gyud nga giguba, gipadismantle nako ang mga suyupanan kay kapila na raid-a pero mao gihapon, balikan lang gihapon. Balay ni siya pero gihimoan ba og atop, gibungbungan, pero suyupanan na gyud sya, kanang gisibay sibay. Kanang gitapot lang sa balay,” Batobalonos said.
According to Batobalonos, the previous owner of the drug den was already arrested and Pia took over its operations.
Batobalonos added that Pia would sell ‘shabu’ in his house then would let his customers use the dismantled drug den to sniff the illegal substance.
Batobalonos also said that Pia was engaged in the illegal drug trade for quite some time now considering that his customers were coming from the different barangays in Cebu City and even Cebu province.
Upon interrogation, Pia allegedly claimed that he was previously jailed for shoplifting. Police said this was the first time that the suspect was arrested for illegal drugs.
Batobalonos said that Pia can dispose of from 150 to 200 grams of ‘shabu’ per week and that his source of illegal drugs is an inmate from the Cebu City Jail.
Batobalonos said that the drug problem in Barangay Mambaling is still rampant like the neighboring Barangay Duljo Fatima which is why drug peddlers there find it easy to maintain drug dens.
Police said they would be conducting more raids in the two barangays
Batobalonos credited the community’s cooperation for the success of their drug operations.
READ: Duljo Fatima drug den dismantled, 8 arrested
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