Garma to public: Help us stop drug groups still thriving in Cebu

GARMA

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police are reiterating their call to the public for cooperation in helping them stop the business chain of notorious drug groups that are still thriving in Cebu.

Senior Superintendent Royina Garma, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said that they would need the help of the public to report any activity in the illegal drug trade in their areas so that the police could  respond and stop these illegal activities.

Garma made the call amid the recent arrests of members of notorious drug groups that had continued their illegal drug activities despite their leaders having been arrested or killed.

Based on the information they have gathered in the many buybust operations the CCPO has conducted in the past months, Garma revealed that they found links to the known drug group led by slain drug lord Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz and the currently detained Franz Sabalones who took over when Jaguar died. 

“We have information that Jaguar’s line and of Sabalones is still very active. The leaders naglay low lang yan, nagpalitan nga style ng operations. (The leaders are hiding but they changed the style of operation.) That is the challenge now,” said Garma during a press briefing on Monday, January 7.

She also said that the arrest of an alleged former aide to Jaguar on the evening of Sunday, December  6, would prove that despite the death of their leader, the members of Jaguar’s group were still on the illegal drug trade. 

Chief Inspector Chuck Barandog, CCPO Drug Enforcement Unit (CCPO DEU) chief, said that they had been monitoring Jimbo Cabusas, who had reportedly worked for the slain drug lord, for weeks prior to the anti-illegal drug operation.

Cabusas was caught in possession of P170,000 worth of illegal drugs and a .45 caliber pistol at the South Road Properties. 

Garma said that the CCPO would be looking for Cabusas’ brother who might also be involved in the illegal drug trade as well.

“Buhay pa ang linya ni Jaguar. Naghibernate lang sila, tingin ko, kay di sila makaporma karon tungod sa atong kampanya sa drugas,” said Garma.

Garma said she was also expecting that with the arrest of Cabusas, another drug pusher would rise among the ranks of the drug cartel. 

“The customers of Cabusas will now find another source. That’s why we need to stop the business chain by all means,” she said. 

“The only way to do this is for everyone to cooperate,” she added.

She encouraged again the public to help police stop these people.

“Don’t expect the government to solve (the) drugs (problem) alone. It’s a one-nation approach. The community must cooperate,” she said.