A former policeman and his three companions were arrested in a drug buy-bust operation in barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City yesterday morning.
Junibie Catarenin used to be a policeman assigned in Mandaue City as a police officer 1 until he was dismissed last January for absence without official leave.
Police said he allegedly connived in selling illegal drugs with Celestino Manatad, 43, and Antonio Tomarong, a 36-year-old security guard.
Tomarong was the subject of the operation conducted by the intelligence branch of the Mandaue City Police Office.
Police said Tomarong sold a pack of suspected shabu worth P1,200 to a poseur-buyer in his house.
When police moved in, Catarenin and Manatad were caught each possessing two sachets of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia.
Seized from Tomarong were the buy-bust money, a .38 revolver, three medium-sized packs of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia.
Catarenin was dismissed from the police force in January 21 for absence without official leave (Awol).
He went Awol after he tested positive for drug use in an unannounced random test, said Senior Supt. Mariano Natuel Jr., Mandaue police chief.
In an interview, the former policeman admitted he was involved in drug peddling.
“Puslan man nga na positive na ko sa drugs, mao nga nagpadayon nalang ko ani, labi na nga wa sab ko’y laing pangita (Since I tested positive for drug use, I just decided to engage in selling illegal drugs especially since I didn’t have other means of income,” said Catarenin.