DRUG OPS. Four of the 12 drug personalities arrested in anti-narcotics operations in Cebu and Bohol sit as they wait for their transport to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Central Visayas office in Cebu City. PDEA-7 regional director Jigger Montallana on Wednesday (July 19, 2023) said that over PHP1 million worth of shabu was confiscated in a series of operations.(Photo courtesy of PDEA-7)
CEBU CITY – More than PHP1 million worth of suspected shabu was confiscated in a series of anti-drug operations in Bohol and Cebu that resulted in the arrest of 13 suspects, the anti-narcotic agency said on Wednesday.
Jigger Montallana, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Central Visayas said the biggest haul was in Bohol following the arrest of 32-year-old Jose Vincent Barnaya last Monday.
Barnaya yielded 21 packs of suspected shabu worth PHP714,000, marked money used in the sting operation, a cellular phone, a weighing scale and a motorcycle.
On July 13, 2023, joint operatives of PDEA and local police dismantled a drug den at Sitio Galilee, Barangay Duljo Fatima in this city and arrested four suspects identified as Junito Abayan, Welmar Jacilo Hulleza, Patrick Bajarias, and Jeremy Diaz. Seized from them were nine packs of alleged shabu worth PHP88,400.
Cebu City Police Station 10 operatives also arrested four drug suspects -- Brian Sevellejo, a drug den maintainer, and his cohort Raymond Garcia, and visitors Shamaica Nicole Alabat and Reccis Pardo Jr. They yielded 15 grams of shabu worth PHP102,000 and various drug paraphernalia in an operation at Sitio Upper Greenbelt in Barangay Quiot here.
On July 11 and 12, agents of PDEA-7 arrested construction worker Reynaldo Trinio, 38, who was reportedly manning a drug den at Sitio Panthom Lawis in Barangay Lorega. He yielded 10 grams of shabu worth PHP68,000.
Also arrested was his alleged assistant, Danilo Guhaw Jr., and an alleged drug den visitor, 38-year-old call center agent, John Howard Patalinghug.
The suspects are now facing charges in violation of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Also facing the same case is 23-year-old single mother, Jonalyn Hamili after authorities seized from her 50 grams of alleged shabu worth PHP300,000 in a sting operation in Sitio Lourdes, Barangay Inayawan here. (PNA)
