Two killed, seven arrested in Cebu, Lapu City raids
Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7) led by Capt. Delfin Bontuyan draw out six persons caught in a pot session at a drug den in Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
Two armed men, one a habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) driver, were killed in a shootout with police officers of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) and Mabolo police precinct at Villa Leyson, Barangay Bacayan, Cebu City yesterday dawn.
Both suspects sustained multiple gunshot wounds on their upper torso as they died on the spot.
They were identified only as a certain Bitoy and Erning, a habal-habal driver.
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) confirmed that the suspects were part of their Oplan TokHang (Toktok Hangyo) list and they are still verifying if they were frequenting the area.
Aside from two empty shells and two .38 revolvers, the police also found marijuana seeds, several drug paraphernalia and suspected packs of shabu.
SPO3 Felomino Mendrados of the CIB and PO3 Rodel Avewala of the Mabolo police precinct who live in Villa Leyson, were told by neighbors that two armed men were roaming freely in their area.
SPO2 Ruth Violango of the city police’s Homicide section said Sitio Common of Villa Leyson had no functioning street lamps to light the roads and her team had to use handheld flashlights to respond to the shooting alarm.
“When they introduced themselves to the suspects as police officers, the armed men immediately opened fire. Fortunately the bullets missed our policemen because you can’t see a thing there,” Violango said in Cebuano.
Violango said the two suspects shot first and their visit was a legitimate operation.
She said they received unconfirmed reports that Sitio Common is a hotspot for drug addicts and dealers long before the shootout happened.
Violango said the shanty where the police saw the suspects was indeed a drug den.
“And based on the items we recovered, it’s probable that these two suspects were drug personalities,” Violango said.
Barangay Bacayan chairperson Zenaida Colina told reporters that the suspects were not residents of the area.
Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, newly installed Police Regional Office director, said the shootout should serve as a warning to drug dealers.
“These drug personalities will definitely retaliate so our police personnel should defend themselves,” Taliño said.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña handed over P200,000 to the police officers for yesterday’s operation.
Supt. Michael Bastes, chief of the City Intelligence Branch of Cebu City Police Office, received the money which was shared with policemen of the Mambaling police precinct.
He said they may donate the money to street children but Osmeña wanted them to keep it for personal or emergency use.
“They can keep the money. I’ll care for the street children. It’s my job,” Osmeña said.
Sought for comments, Taliño said he had nothing against the cash reward given by Osmeña to the policemen which he considered an incentive.
In Lapu-Lapu City, seven persons were arrested while nearly P300,000 worth of drugs were seized in a raid by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Barangay Pajo yesterday noon.
Habal-habal driver Roldan Moralde, 48; call center agent Ken Kikuchi, 22, assigned at Mactan Newtown; habal-habal drivers Alfred Alviola, 33, and Jason Duran, 23; a 17-year-old youth; Renato Pinote, 31; and Robelyn Degolacion, 37 are now in the custody of the CIDG pending the filing of charges against them.
Supt. Fermin Armendares and his team had a search warrant on a certain Renante Degolacion but he was not home at the time.
Degolacion’s wife Robelyn was arrested after police found five packs believed to contain shabu weighing 25 grams with a net worth of P295,000 as well as assorted drug paraphernalia.
Police also caught six other persons engaging in pot sessions at two separate drug dens nearby./With UP Cebu Intern Morexette Eram
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