A fisherman and two others were caught with P54,600 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Purok 5, Barangay Booy, Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. | PDEA-7 Photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A fisherman, who is suspected of being a drug den maintainer, and two women landed in jail after they were arrested by authorities during a buy-bust operation in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Tuesday afternoon, September 26, 2023.
The anti-illegal drugs operation also lead to the closure of an alleged drug den in Purok 5, Barangay Booy, Tagbilaran City, Bohol where operatives arrested three persons.
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Fisherman, drug den maintainer
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) identified one of the arrested individuals and the subject of the operation as 59-year-old Vicente M. Bumaat.
Bumaat is a fisherman and is suspected of being the maintainer of a drug den which is his own house.
Also arrested were two alleged visitors of the drug den identified as 35-year-old Jocelyn Aneslagon, a utility worker; and 46-year-old Maryline Rigedor Resogenia.
Aneslagon is a resident of Barangay Cogon while Resogenia lives in the municipality of Maribojoc.
The buy-bust operation was conducted at around 1:52 p.m.
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7 grams of shabu seized
Leia Alcantara, PDEA-7 spokesperson, told CDN Digital in a phone interview that the alleged suspects were caught in the process of using suspected drugs inside Bumaat’s residence.
Operatives confiscated from the suspects eight packs of suspected shabu weighing around 7 grams. The confiscated illegal drugs had an estimated market value of P54,600.
They also took one cellular phone and various drug paraphernalia from the scene.
According to the agency, the pieces of drug evidence have been submitted to the laboratory for proper disposition.
Three weeks case buildup
Alcantara said that a total of three weeks were spent for case buildup before the operation was conducted.
She said that based on their observation, Bumaat could dispose of around 10 grams of illegal drugs every week and had been operating for around one to three months already.
The three arrested persons were newly-identified drug personalities, stated Alcantara.
The suspects were detained at the detention cell of the Tagbilaran City Police Station pending the filing of charges.
READ: ‘Shabu’ worth P3.5 million seized from 2 suspects in Muntinlupa
Charges to be filed
Charges of possession and selling of illegal drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, and maintenance of a drug den will likely be filed against Bumaat, according to Alcantara.
Meanwhile, charges of visiting a drug den, possession of illegal drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia will be filed against Aneslagon and Resogenia.
Alcantara said that they would be conducting a follow-up investigation to identify and apprehend the suspect’s supplier of illegal drugs.
The personnel that helped in making the operation a success were the combined elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Bohol Provincial Office, Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Police Unit (MARPSTA), Naval Forces Central (NAVFORCEN 7), and Tagbilaran City Police Station.