Raid at abandoned compound ‘a message’ to drug lord suspect
More than P4-million worth of illegal drugs were seized by law enforcement agencies in a raid at a
high-walled compound believed to be owned by a suspected drug lord in barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City
at 4:30 p.m. last Saturday.
Supt. Romeo Santander, chief of the Cebu City Police Office’s City Intelligence Branch (CIB), said the
operation was aimed at arresting Jeffrey Diaz, who goes by the alias “Jaguar,” and his eight
accomplices.
“We want to send him a message that he isn’t untouchable,” Santander said.
No arrests were made as the compound, which contains 12 houses, has been abandoned.
“The area was surrounded with shanties but inside the compound, the houses were mostly two-story
(structures). It even has its own basketball court and its own chapel,” Santander said.
He said the compound was surrounded by high walls and is located in the inner portion of barangay
Duljo-Fatima.
“We had a hard time entering the area since the gates were padlocked and it had a strong foundation. We
had to destroy it first to be able to get inside,” he said.
Santander said they found three large packs of suspected illegal drugs were also seized, worth nearly
P4 million.
The raid also produced one weighing scale, a money counter machine, assorted firearms and ammunition,
28 pieces of medium packs of shabu weighing five grams each, and five large packs weighing 25 grams
each were seized.
Santander didn’t specify which item was found in which house.
Jeffrey Diaz, who is seldom seen in the area, is said to have enjoyed protection from residents in the
barangay.
Barangay Duljo-Fatima is one of the identified illegal drug hotspots in Cebu City and Central Visayas.
The raid was conducted by operatives of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group
(CAIDSOTG) in coordination with the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA),
Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) and the Regional Public Safety Battalion 7.
Santander said 12 search warrants were issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Soliver Peras against
Jeffrey Diaz and his alleged accomplices Noel Diaz, Reynaldo Diaz, Rodel Diaz, Rudy Diaz, Rodrigo Diaz,
Amelia Diaz, Scarlett Tagurasa and Sonny Sisneros.
At least three houses were believed to have been owned by Jeffrey and two by Amelia.
“Low-end” vehicles were also found parked in the area.
Santander said the place may have been abandoned for sometime.
“We will file charges against them. No matter how untouchable they think they are, we will go after
them,” said Santander in Cebuano.
“Jaguar” is said to be operating mainly in Cebu City and is considered to be the biggest supplier of
illegal drugs in Metro Cebu.
He was arrested in two raids in Oct. 23, 2003 and July 10, 2004 and was charged in court in 2008.
Early this year, barangay chairman Elmer Abella of Duljo-Fatima called a press conference in which he
claimed that Jeffrey Diaz informed him that he will stop dealing in illegal drugs.
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