2 men fall in Consolacion drug bust

A man suspected to be a level 2 drug pusher was arrested in a buy-bust operation in barangay Danglag, Consolacion town, northern Cebu.

According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), Jomarie Arnoco, 33, was capable of selling 200 grams of illegal drugs a week.

PDEA-7 agents also arrested Arnoco’s alleged cohort, Rey Abao, 26.

Arnoco denied that he was involved in selling illegal drugs.

The PDEA-7 said the two men were arrested after selling a pack of suspected drugs to a poseur buyer around 4 p.m. last Wednesday.

Seized during the arrest were five small packs of suspected shabu worth P2,500, an improvised tooter, a grenade, a cellular phone and the P500 buy-bust money.

A blue Honda XRM motorcycle and a notebook containing Arnoco’s alleged illegal drug transaction were also seized.

Some amounts of money were listed in the notebook.

It was also found in the notebook that there were collectibles amounting to P240,000 from a certain “bossing” for ordering 50 grams, said IO2 Jelou Anthony Paca.

Paca said Arnoco claimed that the figures were for the pigs he was about to sell.

But Arnoco’s relatives did not mention that he was into piggery when they went to the PDEA-7 office, said Paca.

Paca said the SIM card of Arnoco’s cell phone will also be examined after a message was found in his phone stating, “Bantay diha. Padung na ang taga- PDEA diha (Watch out. PDEA members are on their way to your place).”

The text message was sent a day before the buy-bust operation, said PDEA-7./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON