Suspected drug dealer anxious over safety, son

In Mandaue City, a relieved Pablito Loberanis is at the Basak police precinct cell. (CDN PHOTO/JULIT JAINAR)

IN turning himself over to the Mandaue City police, 29-year-old suspected drug dealer Pablito Loberanis admitted that he was scared by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of all-out war against drug syndicates.

“Nahadlok na ko sa patakaran karon ba (against illegal drugs) respeto lang ta ba. Wala baya tay dag-anan sa balaod gud (I am afraid of the campaign against illegal drugs. Let’s respect this. There’s no running away from the law),” Loberanis said.

But Loberanis, a resident of sitio Dasko in Barangay Paknaan, surrendered with his live-in partner and child to the Mandaue City police last Wednesday evening also said he wants to do right by them.

“Mintras bata pa siya, usbon nako akong kaagi ba dili nako ipakita na ingon ani ako binuhatan (While he is still young, I want to change my ways, and I don’t want to show him that this was what I did), Loberanis said.

Loberanis ranks as a top priority target of the Mandaue City police’s anti-drug campaign “Oplan Lambat Sibat.”

He turned over to the city police’s Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) one unlicensed sub machine gun, two magazines each loaded with 30 ammunition rounds and four sachets of shabu worth P10,000 to P15,000.

“He takes charge of a lot of drugs, the volume he disposes and the area of operation is city-wide. Not only in barangay Paknaan but there are other barangays that are sourcing their supply from him,” Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, Mandaue City police chief, said.

But Loberanis denied that he is the top drug dealer in Mandaue City.

He recounted to reporters that he used to be a boxer but stopped both training and schooling at the elementary level to become a dispatcher.

Loberanis is the fifth of six children. He said his siblings are athletes and he has six children with different mothers.

Their family owned a store but his father was arrested in 2005 and detained at the Mandaue City Jail on illegal drug possession charges.

Loberanis was jailed for the same case but managed to post bail.

Loberanis showed his gunshot wound, saying he bought a gun for his own safety.

Cabal said President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of all-out war against drug syndicates is having its desired effect on the drug menace.

Loberanis is now detained at the Subangdaku police precinct and said he did not regret his decision considering his situation inside the detention cell.

Charges of violating Republic Act 1059 or illegal possession of firearms as well as Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act will be filed against Loberanis.

Cabal said they will post the names of those who are in their watchlist in order to warn them to surrender.

Elsewhere, police arrested 14 persons in a buy-bust operation in Medellin town last Wednesday morning.

Supt. Rodolfo Albotra, chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office’s Intelligence Branch said a certain Joel Gallardo was wounded on his foot after he tried to engage in a shootout with their team.

Their targets identified as Rodito and Alvin Gallardo managed to escape.

He said the Gallardos are level three drug pushers who can dispose less then two grams of shabu in a week.

Aside from Joel, those arrested were identified as Jennylin Matias, Paul Jake Itang, Raymond Redila, Albec Capote, Rannie Jun Conde, Kerwin Buan, Jerry Villamor, Albert Engahin, Brenn Ando, Alvin Cuyos, Daryl John Malinao, Jeobenus Setenta and Rodulfo Ceniza.

Albotra said they seized 55 grams of shabu, drug paraphernalia, one pistol and six motorcycles.

He said the Gallardo brothers also operate in Daanbantayan, San Remegio and other neighboring towns and Bogo City.

While admitting to being a drug user, Itang denied that he used shabu at the time of the operation.