Buy bust in Tagbilaran City: Property caretaker, 3 others nabbed

Authorities seized a total of P92,500 worth of shabu and dismantled a suspected drug den during a buy bust operation in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Tuesday, August 15,2023. | PDEA-7 Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 51 year-old property caretaker and three others were arrested by authorities, who also seized a total of P95,200 worth of suspected shabu, during a buy-bust operation in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Tuesday afternoon, August 15, 2023.

Authorities conducted a buy-bust operation in a small house in a vacant lot in Purok 7, Barangay Cogon, Tagbilaran City, Bohol at around 4:40 p.m.

The anti-illegal drugs operation was a joint operation by combined elements of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Bohol Provincial Office, Philippine National Police (PNP) Bohol Maritime Police Station (MARPSTA), Naval Forces Central (NAVFORCEN), and Tagbilaran City Police Station.

They arrested four persons, including a suspected drug den maintainer, and dismantled a suspected drug den during the operation.

Subject of buy bust

PDEA-7 identified the subject of the operation and the suspected drug den maintainer as 51 year-old Allan Alegado Mancha alias “Tata,” who works as a property caretaker.

Among the arrested persons is a construction worker identified as Mark Angelo Pamisa Pilayre, 29, who is an alleged drug den visitor.

Also apprehended were two other alleged drug den visitors, live in partners Mark Gabriel Powao Morada, 28, and Melly Joy Alcoser Cartagenas.

Pilayre is from Barangay Dampas while the live-in couple was residing in Barangay Mansasa.

The couple used to work as call center agents but their contracts ended. They have three children, who they left at home to visit the suspected drug den, said PDEA-7.

The operatives seized during the operation six packs of suspected shabu weighing around 14 grams, buy-bust money, and various drug paraphernalia.

The estimated market value of the confiscated suspected illegal drugs is P95,200.

According to PDEA-7, the pieces of drug evidence has been submitted to the laboratory for chemical analysis.

One week case buildup

Leia Alcantara, spokesperson of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), said that the operation was the result of a one week case buildup. 

In a phone interview, Alcantara told CDN Digital that the Mancha used the small house in the lot that he was hired to care for as an alleged drug den.

“Vacant lot naay balay gamay nga dilapidated na, for sale na daw ta to. Nya mao to iya giconvert as a drug den,” she said.

Mancha allegedly made visitors pay a fine of P50 every time they used the suspected drug den, according to Alcantara.

She also said that through close monitoring, they found that Mancha has been operating for a few months and allegedly disposes around 15 grams of illegal drugs per week.

The alleged suspects, who are all newly identified drug personalities, are detained at the Tagbilaran Police Station, said Alcantara.

She added that Mancha will be facing charges of selling of illegal drugs, maintaining a drug den, and possession of illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, Pilayre, Morada, and Cartagenas will be filed with cases of visiting a drug den and possession of illegal drugs.

Alcantara added that they will be conducting a follow up investigation to determine the identity of the supplier of the alleged suspect on illegal drugs.

/bmjo

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