P11-M shabu seized in Lapu-Lapu City

CEBU - ABOUT P11 million worth of illegal drugs were confiscated from a person who was described as a trusted man of a top drug personality in Lapu-Lapu, during a buy-bust in Sitio Seaside, Barangay Pusok last Friday night.

The main target, however, escaped, said Senior Supt. Rommel Cabagnot, director of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO).

Marvy “Tata” Palay, 38, was caught along with two other persons by a combined team from the Lapu-Lapu Police Station (PS) 5 led by Chief Insp. Wayne Magbanua and the Lapu-Lapu City Intelligence Branch.

Palay, who is believed to be the right-hand man of a top drug personality on the LCPO’s list, currently resides on Matumbo Road in Pusok, but hails from Barangay San Roque in Isabel, Leyte.

“Siya’y gisaligan. Katong number one sa drug watch list financier siya. Siya (Palay) mismo nagdala (Palay is the trusted man of the top drug personality in our area, who served as the financier. Palay is the one who sold illegal drugs),” Magbanua said.

He said they placed Palay under surveillance after receiving reports about his allegedly illegal activities.

Authorities conducted the operation around 10:50 p.m. last Friday with the help of a police decoy.

Palay was arrested together with Johnrey “Tatang” Sinadjan, 35, and Ben Mark “Mok-mok” Valdez

Palay was caught with a big pack containing suspected shabu, the buybust money (a roll of paper covered with a P500 bill) and a .38 revolver with five ammunitions.

Also seized was a medium pack of shabu that the decoy had bought from Palay.

The illegal drugs weighed one kilogram and were estimated to be worth P11 million. SUNNEX

ChrisNavarro/SUNNEX RESIDENTS of Guagua, Pampanga take advantage of the flood to catch fish that have been taken in by floodwaters from fishpens in the area.