CPA: Saturation drive at Pier 2 in Cebu City yields drugs, gun
Two men were caught with illegal rugs and a gun during a saturation drive in Pier 2 of Cebu City. | Contributed photo via Futch Anthony Inso
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The saturation drive that was initiated by the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) in Pier 2, Cebu City, on Friday morning, November 22, 2024, has resulted to the arrest of two individuals.
The arrested individuals were identified as alias Wendel, a porter of CPA and a resident of Arellano Blvd., Barangay San Roque, Cebu City, and a certain Jonel, 35 years old, laborer and a resident of Barangay Cantabaco, Toledo City.
The personnel of CPA conducted a saturation drive and safety inspection in their ports to ensure that their workers were wearing a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The two have noticed the inspection and tried to escape by running. However, the two left behind their bags which leaves suspicion to the CPA personnel that they were involved in illegal activities.
Due to this, they coordinated with the Port Police who inspected the suspects belongings.
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Inside the bags, they recovered alleged illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, and a caliber .45 pistol.
The port police immediately coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7).
Based on the investigation of PDEA-7, they recovered from Wendel’s bag two sachets of shabu weighing 10 grams worth P68,000.
They also recovered two weighing scales, drug paraphernalia, and cash worth P3,000 that were proceeds in the illegal drug trade.
Gun and drugs
Meanwhile, authorities recovered from Jonel’s bag a .45 caliber pistol, two magazines, P3,000 cash and drug paraphernalia.
Although Wendel admitted that he was using an illegal drug, however, he denied owning the two sachet of alleged shabu that was found on his bag.
He said that he only left his bag to his friend, Botchok, and that he still planned to get it from him.
“Kato rang bag nga sling bag nga brown akoa. Katong naay gamit sa pasol unya ang kanang kuan sa kato ng ecobag nga puti Sir unya wala ko kakuan nga daghan diay kaayo na’g sulod. Gibilin sa akoa unya gikuanan ra kog P1,000. Ana siya hatagan tika og P1,000. Balik ra ko dayon mokaon ra siya”, Wendel said.
(It was only the brown sling bag that was mine. That one with the things for fishing and that one the white ecobag, and I did not know that there really were a lot inside. It was left with me and I was paid P1,000. And he said that he would give me P1,000. I will return right away.)
Jonel also denied that he owned the sling bag where the firearm was recovered.
Due to this incident, CPA will impose stiffer policies in inspecting the bags of their workers, especially porters and laborers that would enter the port.
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