Former policeman, fashion designer fall in drug busts

A former policeman and her female companion were arrested for allegedly selling shabu in an entrapment operation in barangay Cogon-Ramos, Cebu City on Tuesday night.

Three big packs of suspected shabu were recovered from Junicar Estiñoso, 39, of Arlington Pond, barangay Sambag Dos, and Norsia Mamao Daligdig, 29, of barangay Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City.

In a separate buy-bust operation, police arrested four fashion designers allegedly involved in selling ecstasy.

The separate operations were conducted by operatives of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operation Task Force (RAIDSOTF).

Police said Estiñoso agreed to sell shabu worth P25,000 to a policeman who posed as a buyer.

Police frisked Estiñoso and recovered two more big packs of suspected shabu from his possession.

Police also seized a sports car used by the former policeman during the incident.

Estiñoso was dismissed from the service in 2007 after he was caught bringing a woman to motel using a police car.

Supt. Marvin Sanchez, RAIDSOTF chief, said Estiñoso has been allegedly using illegal drugs when he was still an active policeman.

Sanchez said Estiñoso may have shifted to selling illegal drugs as his means of livelihood.

Police said Daligdig was previously arrested for the same offense.

Five hours after the arrest in Cogon-Ramos, police also arrested Ivan Briones Belocura, 37, after he allegedly sold ecstasy tablets to a poseur-buyer in Wilson Street in barangay Lahug.

Police said Junie Saavedra Ignacio, 24, Glenn Cardeno Libradilla,23, and Ryan Lariego Dumago, 31, were also caught buying ecstasy from Belocura. Ecstasy tablets were recovered from their possessions.

The four are detained at the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7). They refused to give comment on their arrests.

Police said they have been monitoring Belocura for two weeks before he was arrested.

Senior Supt. Orlando Ualat, chief of staff of PRO-7, said ecstasy is usually used by rich people due to its steep price.