Cebu City police seize P121M worth of shabu

Senior Supt. Joel Doria, Cebu City Police Office director, checks out the 10 kilos shabu seized during an operation on Saturday night. (PHoto by LITO TECSON/Cebu Daily News)

CEBU CITY — Cebu City police officers seized close to P121 million worth of shabu in what they described as the biggest drug haul in the Central Visayas since President Rodrigo Duterte launched his war on drugs.

The officers found the drug stash in the house of couple Mark and Mercy Abellana in Sitio Kalubihan, Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City around 9 p.m. Saturday.

The couple did not resist arrest, according to Chief Insp. Christopher Navida, head of the intelligence branch of the Cebu City Police Office.

Navida led the operation, which included members of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (CAIDSOT).

“They are considered high value targets,” Navida said. “Good that they did not fight back. Now, we could get more information from them with regard to their illegal operations.”

He said charges were being prepared against the couple for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The offense is non-bailable.

The suspects, who have two children aged 7 and 9, denied the packs of shabu were theirs.

“Dili na amoa. (The packs of shabu are not ours),” Mercy said in an interview.

They also denied living in the house where the packs of shabu were seized.

Seized from their possession were about 10 kilograms of shabu with a Dangerous Drugs Board Board value of P120,950,000.

No firearms were recovered from the Abellana couple.

“So far, this is the biggest drug haul in Central Visayas,” Navida said.

He said the source of the drugs was Mark’s brother, Michael, who is detained at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

He said they would still have to conduct an investigation to pinpoint the other contacts of the Abellana couple. /ATM/rga