PRO-7 No. 1 nationwide in anti-drug performance

The police scored again in the intensified campaignt against illegal drugs.

Yesterday, four men were arrested and almost P300,000 worth of suspected shabu were seized in a buy bust operation in barangay Pit-os, Cebu City.

The subject of the buy bust operation was Dante Gerona, 27, who allegedly operates a drug den in the area.

Gerona was collared after he allegedly sold shabu to a police decoy in exchange for P200.

Police also seized from him 45 small and four medium packs of powdery substance believed to be shabu estimated to be worth P295,000, disposable lighters and two pieces rolled tin foil.

John Steven Villarta, 22; Harry Gerona, 29, the subject’s cousin and Joey Pepito, 36, were also arrested after they were allegedly caught in the drug den while one Jefferson Capalaran eluded arrest.

Regional Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG) 7 Police Community Relations (PCR) chief Joey Bicoy, he said Gerona is in their watchlist of illegal personalities.

He allegedly operates in the mountain barangays of Cebu City and can sell 200 grams of shabu per week.
Gerona admitted to reporters that he is a drug user but he denied being a pusher and operator of a drug den. He identified one Machete as the one who operates the drug den.

Harry and Villarta also admitted that they are drug users but Pepito denied saying he was just using the bathroom near the drug den.

In a separate operation, one Renon Ruflo, 42, was arrested and 10 packs of suspected shabu were seized in a raid on T. Padilla Ext., barangay Tejero, Cebu City Monday evening.

RTC 10 Judge Soliver Peras issued the search warrant against Ruflo.

P02 Alexis Alferez, alert team investigator said they classified Ruflo as a level 3 drug pusher who can dispose of 35 grams of shabu a week.

In barangay Duljo Fatima, another suspected pusher, Valeriano Macul, was arrested in a raid yesterday morning by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7) by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Wifredo Fiel Navarro of RTC Branch 19.

Macul admitted that he has been in the illegal drug trade for a year now.

Seized during the raid were two medium packs and 55 small packs of crystalline substance believed to be shabu estimated to value P120,000 and cash money of P6,600.

He is detained at the Mambaling Police Station.

The police force in Central Visayas ranked first nationwide in the performance in the fight against illegal drugs from June 6 to August 10 this year.

During the nine weeks, around 2,002.88 grams of illegal drugs were seized.

In a letter from Police Deputy Director General Lozada Rojas Jr. dated August 22, the officials and men of Police Regional Office (PRO-7) were commended for showing “high sense of commitment, professionalism and ardent devotion” to the tasks that led to the accomplishment of the PNP’s mandate which showcased its best practices and genuine transformation.

During yesterday’s 888 Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, Paul Clarence Oaminal, Cebu City consultant on illegal drugs, said he admired the efforts of the police but also told them to focus on the litigation of the case.

He is calling on the Cebu City Council to sponsor a resolution creating a body that monitors the filing of drug cases as well as providing police officers court appearance allowance so they will not have any reason not to be in court during hearings.

This way dismissal of drug cases can be minimized. /With a report by intern Roselle Quimrit, Palompon Institute of Technology