Pusher with ties to Sabalones killed in motel ‘shootout’
Pusher with ties to Sabalones killed in motel ‘shootout’
A SUSPECTED big-time drug pusher who allegedly had links with a southern Cebu-based drug kingpin died in a shootout in a motel compound in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City at 8:20 p.m. last Monday.
Jay Jareño succumbed to gunshot wounds in different parts of his body. The native of Barangay Matab-ang, Toledo City was rushed to Mandaue City Hospital, but he did not make it there alive.
Two hours later, a four months pregnant woman, whose live-in partner was reportedly a right-hand man of Jareño, died after unidentified assailants shot her several times in Sitio Minolos, Matab-ang.
PO2 Joselito Genon identified the 18-year-old victim as Rosebie Cantabaco, a suspected small-time drug pusher.
Chief Insp. Dexter Calacar, the Police Regional Office 7 information officer, said 111 drug pushers were killed by the police during operations, while 129 were slain by unknown assassins as of 6 a.m. yesterday.
Revolver
In the police operation in Cebu City, Calacar said the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) and City Intelligence Branch operatives seized 12 grams of white crystals believed to be shabu worth P141,600.
A .22 revolver with ten bullets, three P1,000 marked bills and several license plates were also re- covered by the operatives.
An intelligence officer, who requested anonymity, said Jareño was listed as the number one drug personality in Toledo City and reportedly sourced his supply from Franz Sabalones, who surrendered to PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa after his brother San Fernando Vice Mayor Fralz Sabalones was named by President Rodrigo Duterte as narcopolitician last Aug. 8.
“High-value target na namo siya. Ang iyang mga tawo naay mga armas (He is a high-value target. His men are armed),” said the officer of Jareño.
The alleged drug personality also had several informants, which explains why the operatives often failed in their attempts to arrest him.
“Dili ni siya magpakita sa publiko. Idlas ni siya (He is elusive),” said the officer in a phone interview.
He said that most of the small-time peddlers pointed at the suspect as their supplier.
In 2011, Jareño was caught by the police and was charged with violating the non-bailable offense of Section 5 (selling of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
The judge, however, granted his petition to bail, citing weak evidence.
Aside from his nickname “Dean,” the intelligence officer said Jareño
was also known for other aliases such as “J-Pongs” after some of his limbs were amputated after he figured in a vehicular accident.
His relatives reportedly run a fleet of passenger buses.
Agents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 7 captured Jareño’s mother, Virginia, in a buybust in Matab-ang in 2012.
A large pack of shabu worth P50,000 was reportedly recovered from her possession.
As to the death of Can- tabaco, Genon said they are looking into the possibility that the killing was related to illegal drugs. The victim’s partner, Inad Juarez, was not found after the incident.
Genon, however, believes Juarez was there during the shooting and was able to shoot it out with the perpetrators, before escaping death.