Policeman, three others arrested in ‘drug den’

SPO1 Cielo Bonite (far left), Frederick Go, Jaime dela Cerna, and Arnold Leceña were presented to the media after they were arrested inside an alleged drug den Barangay Tabunok in Talisay City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

CEBU CITY–Four persons, including a policeman, were arrested inside a suspected drug den in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City early Thursday.

SPO1 Cielo Bonite, 47; Frederick Go, 46; Arnold Leceña, 44; and Jaime dela Cerna, 59, were detained at the Cebu Provincial police Office stockade pending filing of charges for possession of illegal drugs, firearms, explosive, and drug paraphernalia at the Talisay City Prosecutors’ Office.

Bonite is a resident of Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City who is assigned at the Dumaguete Police Office in Negros Oriental.

Seized from the suspects were 45 grams of shabu worth P531,000, dried marijuana leaves, a KG9 submachine gun, a shotgun, .45 caliber pistol, a hand grenade, three cellular phones, and assorted drug paraphernalia.

Supt. Mario Baquiran Jr. of the Provincial Public Safety Company said they have been monitoring Go since November 2016.

“He’s our primary target,” he said.

After validating reports regarding the illegal operations of Go, the provincial police secured a search warrant from the court.

On Wednesday, Judge Jerrey Dicdican of the Regional Trial Court Branch 25 in Danao City granted their request to search Go’s residence.

When they entered the house about 2 a.m. on Thursday, Baquiran said they saw Go and the three other suspects having a pot session.
He said they were surprised to see SPO1 Bonite who claimed he just dropped by the place.

“Why was he there? There must be something wrong. I surmised he must be into illegal drugs,” Baquiran said.

Bonite was wearing civilian clothes when he was arrested. Recovered from him was a .22 caliber gun believed to be his service firearm.

“We will conduct an indepth investigation to find out who their source of illegal drugs is,” Baquiran said.