13 nabbed for drugs

Thirteen persons, including two sisters, were arrested in separate illegal drug operations in Cebu.

Florita Batucan, her sister Mardonia Alvaro and Joselito Avila, and Jasper Alvaro were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Danao City, northern Cebu.

The operation was conducted by operatives of the Provincial Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG) past 6 p.m. last Tuesday.

Batucan was put under surveillance for a month, said Senior Insp. Leo Torrejos Logroño, deputy chief of PAIDSOTG.

Batucan was arrested inside her house after she handed over a pack of suspected shabu worth P500 to a poseur buyer.

The arrested persons were tagged as level two drug pushers who could dispose of at least 25 to 50 grams of suspected shabu per week.

Several packs of suspected shabu worth P225,000 were seized from their possession.

Four medium packs of shabu were also recovered from Mardonia’s possession.

Logroño said that Batucan was arrested last 2011 for illegal drug possession while Avila was also arrested in 2012 for the same offense. The two later posted bail.

Charges of illegal possession and selling of illegal drugs will be filed against the arrested persons who were detained at Consolacion police station.

In barangay Poblacion Ward I, Glenn Cabatuan Haniel, 25, and Walter Codira, 37, were caught allegedly sniffing shabu inside a shanty past midnight Wednesday.

PO2 Vincent Alinabo of Minglanilla police said a concerned citizen tipped them off about the presence of two men sniffing shabu in a shanty.

A small pack of suspected shabu was recovered from Haniel’s possession.

Charges of possession of illegal drugs will be filed against Haniel and Codira, police said.

In Cordova town in Mactan Island, two men were arrested for allegedly selling drugs in barangay Poblacion Wednesday evening.

The neighbors of Vilmar Degamo, 28, and Juanito Mapa, 20, have been complaining about their alleged illegal drug activities, said Chief Insp. Alvin Balio.

After the arrest, police recovered 36 packs of suspected shabu from Degamo, while Mapa yielded five packs believed to contain shabu.

In Cebu City, five persons were arrested in separate saturation drives yesterday morning.

Operatives of the Waterfront police station headed by Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu, arrested Jaime Gastador, 35; Rogelio Aloha, 54; and Fernando Deare, 49, who were allegedly caught sniffing shabu in barangay San Roque.

At least three packs of suspected shabu were recovered from them.

A few hours later, operatives of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) arrested Christopher Almendras, 30, and Armando Llamedo, 29, for allegedly possession Nubain ampules and drug paraphernalia.

The three will also be charged for visiting a drug den, said Chief Insp. Aileen Recla, chief of IDMB of the Cebu City Police Office.

The suspects said they were just in the area to pawn Almedras’ shoes.

Police also conducted a buy-bust operation in barangay Camputhaw Wednesday afternoon but the target of the raid, Harold Solon, eluded arrest.

Police said a big pack of suspected shabu worth P40,000 was recovered during the operation./CORRESPONDENTS JOY CHERRY S. QUITO, NORMAN V. MENDOZA AND CHITO O. ARAGON