Eight arrested in Lapu-Lapu drug busts

Eight persons, including two cousins, were arrested in separate buy-bust operations in Lapu-Lapu City within two days.

Arrested around 3 p.m. last Friday were cousins Rommel Aton Tapao, 39, and Joseph Aton Andales, 30, in Sitio Marbeach, Barangay Marigondon, said Chief Inspector Mark Giftet Sucalit, chief of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office- City Intelligence Branch.

Sucalit said Tapao and Andales are among the drug personalities under the watchlist of Marigondon Police Station.

At least five sachets and a medium-size pack of suspected shabu were seized from Tapao while another two small packs were confiscated from Andales.

The confiscated drugs amounted to P82,600, according to Sucalit.

The following day, John Mark Lucena, 38, and Arvic Ramas, 37, were arrested along Hangar Road in Barangay Basak around 3:45 a.m.

Police seized from Lucena, a resident of Sitio Manga, Barangay Canjulao 22 small packs of shabu, P300 buy-bust money and P570 in cash alleged to be proceeds of the illegal drug trade.

A small pack of shabu was also confiscated from Ramas, a resident of Barangay Pasil in Cebu City.

The shabu seized from the suspects was worth around P18, 700, Sucalit said.

Three hours earlier last Saturday, elements of Pusok Police Station arrested Fernando Inso, 42; Derick Manansala, 27; Nestor Sanchez, 48 and Patrick Solitario, 35 in Sitio Ihawan in Barangay Pusok.

Chief Inspector Wayne Magbanua, chief of Pusok Police Station, said they first arrested the main subject of the operation, Inso, a resident of Merkado, Barangay Basak, and Manansala, a native of Kanhabagat, Medellin, Cebu, who resides in Barangay Pusok. Magbanua said Inso sells drugs in the area. After the police poseur-buyer arrested both suspects, they caught another two persons reportedly sniffing shabu inside Manansala's small hut, which also reportedly serves as a drug den. This resulted to the arrest of Sanchez, a native of Clarin, Bohol and Solitario, who hails from Lanao Del Norte. They both temporarily live in the said barangay.

Nine sachets of shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia were seized from Inso while a small pack was confiscated from Manansala.

Magbanua said the seized drugs were estimated to be worth P4,700.

All suspects are now detained at the LCPO holding cell and are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Fatima M. Tudtud/NSA