Former university dean’s lister arrested with P340K ‘shabu’ in Cebu City drug bust

A 22-year-old former university dean’s lister (wearing a raider shirt) was arrested with P340K worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation conducted in Barangay Capitol Site in Cebu City on Thursday evening, June 23, 2022. | Photo courtesy of CCPO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A former university dean’s lister was arrested with 50 grams of suspected shabu worth P340,000 during a buy-bust operation conducted in Barangay Capitol Site in Cebu City on Thursday evening, June 23, 2022.

Police said the suspect reportedly stopped schooling after he impregnated his partner. As a result, he worked as a delivery rider, but since his income is insufficient to support his young family, he allegedly resorted to selling illegal drugs.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) identified the suspect as Vincent Gabucan Jr., 22, a resident of Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City.

Gabucan last attended school in 2020. He was an engineering student, Parilla added.

Around 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, authorities from the city’s intelligence and drug enforcement units conducted a joint buy-bust operation against the suspect.

“Dating estudyante ni siya, school year last attended kay 2019 to 2020. Wala na sya ma enrol og balik kay wa na sya paskwelaha sa iyang ginikanan kay nakapabuntis. Accordingly, pagkadakop niya, giangkon niya nga nanghinayang siya kay niangkon siya nga dati sad siyang dean’s lister sa usa ka university diri,” Parilla said.

(He was a former student, the school year he last attended was from 2019 to 2022. He was no longer enrolled because his parents decided not to let him continue schooling after he impregnated his partner. When he was arrested, he admitted that he regretted what happened to him as he was a dean’s lister when he was a student in a university here.)

When he stopped studying, he worked as a delivery rider and later on allegedly engaged in illegal drug transactions. He allegedly resorted to this illegal activity as his income as a rider was not enough to sustain his family’s needs.

“Kuwang sa iyang kita, na-engganyo siya sa iyang ig-agaw nga nadakpan na ron sa city jail nga siya maoy bodegero. Siyay mudawat unya muhatag og modistribute kung asa…but iyang ig-agaw maoy mutudlo kung asa dapita kuhaon ug ihatag,” he added.

(His income was not enough. He was enticed by his cousin, who was also arrested and currently in jail, to become the keeper of his drugs. He will receive and distribute items with his cousin telling him where to get and deliver the drugs).

Parilla said that the suspect is still new in the illegal drug trade but can already dispose of at least two kilos of drugs more or less in a week. He allegedly covers the entire Cebu island.

Parilla said that the arrest of the suspect also stemmed from the information they got from previous drug operations that they conducted wherein Gabucan’s name surfaced.

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