NBI agents arrested Christopher Hilongos (left) in a buy-bust operation at his home in sitio Lotaw-Lotaw, barangay Sto Niño, Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Three suspected drug dealers were arrested after National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 agents raided a shanty used as a drug den across the street from Cebu City Hall yesterday morning.
NBI 7 special investigator Arnel Pura said some City Hall employees are regular customers there, especially during payday.
The two-floor shack is reached through a narrow pathway from D. Jakosalem Street.
NBI special investigator Arnel Pura, labels evidences found in one of the rooms inside a house that was made into a drug den located just across the Cebu City Hall. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
“May taga City Hall, meron pud mga estudyante (Some customers are from City Hall, some are students),” Pura said. Other customers are Carbon vendors and porters.
NBI agents conducted the rain after a decoy purchased illegal drugs from Gladys Entoma at about 8:30 a.m. following a month of surveillance.
Entoma and her live-in partner Christopher Hilongos as well as their neighbor Felisa Salceda were arrested.
The three rent the place, which is owned by a former barangay councilor.
Hilongos denied they operate the drug den.
They said there just runners.
Pura said Entoma will be charged with selling drugs.
Hilongos and Salceda will be charged for visiting a drug den.
Seized during the raid were drug paraphernalia such as tissues, aluminum foil, lighters and one pack of shabu worth P300.
“Small lang ang atong nakuha nga shabu. Tama lang for use for three persons.
Ang focus man nato ang drug den (We recovered only a small amount of shabu, good only for three persons. We were focused on the drug den),” Pura said.
Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak said he asked law enforcers to put the place under surveillance after receiving information a few months back about illegal drug activities there.
He said the police had no success with previous buy-bust operations there.
It was only yesterday when the NBI got positive results.
“This is a good sign that the city government is more serious against drugs.”
“Bisag asa pa, bisan tugkaran pa sa City Hall, ang city government modakop gyud (The city government will make arrests even right at its doorstep),” he said
He confirmed Pura’s statement that some City Hall employees buy and use drugs in the area.
Tumulak and Tinago barangay Captain Joel Garganera, representing the Cebu City Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC), joined the NBI agents during the raid yesterday.
Hilongos, one of the suspects, said they were only drug runners.
He said there were others.
“We are merely paid to buy drugs for others. It’s not true that we sell drugs. People just come here to ask us to buy drugs for them,” he said in Cebuano.
The drugs seized during the raid, for instance, was purchased in Bato, barangay Ermita.
Hilongos said he was not aware of any City Hall employee who frequents the place.