3 soldiers arrested inside ‘drug den’
Three members of the Philippine Army landed in jail after they were caught allegedly in possession of dangerous drugs paraphernalia in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City last Saturday.
The police identified them as Corporal Joar Acoba Francisco, 34; Corporal Edrelle Bayles, 35; and Corporal George Gutierrez, 35.
All the suspects hailed from Davao City but are temporarily staying at the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Central Command in Barangay Apas.
It was not known if the three are part of the 88 military men who are supposed to augment Cebu City’s security setup.
Police Senior Inspector Elisandro Quijano, Deputy Chief of the Guadalupe Police Station, told reporters that a police team was conducting a patrol against all forms of illegal gambling at Sitio Yoreco in Barangay Guadalupe when the arrest took place.
He said the operation was hatched from the information the police received from a concerned citizen about an ongoing heads-or-tails game, locally known as “hantak,” which is reportedly rampant in the area.
Upon noticing the police, a group of men immediately dispersed and ran away, some of whom reportedly went inside a drug den.
Police saw inside the alleged drug den the three suspects who were then frisked.
A disposable lighter, improvised hand-made tube, and a strip of tin foil were reportedly recovered from each of the suspects.
Quijano said the three, who were unarmed, did not resist arrest or showed any aggression.
He added that they only learned about the profession of the three after the arrest.
The suspects refused to face the media when asked for comment.
They are currently placed under the custody of Guadalupe police while waiting for the resolution of the criminal complaints filed against them.
Yesterday, the Guadalupe police filed complaints for violations of Section 12, Article 2 of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), which punished possession of drug paraphernalia.
If found guilty, a person is meted a penalty of imprisonment ranging from six months to four years imprisonment and a fine ranging from P10,000 to P50,000.
An official of the Central Command, who was on leave when phoned by The FREEMAN, refused to comment on the report, saying he has yet to get the details of the incident.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 has arrested ten alleged drug personalities Friday in separate buy-bust operations in Barangays Tisa and Kamagayan in Cebu City.
Arrested in the raid in Barangay Tisa were Robert Bentazal, 39; Ronniel Dinsay, 37; Daniel Cabanada, 30; and Roy Tagalog, 38.
Those caught from Barangay Kamagayan were Rogelio Gonzales, 40; Wulfrando Alibay, 48; Jeffrey Tañola, 28; Candido Arnaiz, 36; Ceilo Pateres, 33; and Joanalyd Rose Pacheco, 35.
Prior to the operation, the PDEA-7 received information of the alleged illegal activities of some individuals in the said barangays.
After they have verified the veracity of the information, a buy-bust operation was conducted leading to the arrest of Bentazal, who was the subject of the operation, Dinsay, Cabanda and Tagalog in Barangay Tisa.
Operatives were able to recover from the suspects six plastic packs believed to be shabu weighing 110 grams worth P330,000.
PDEA-7 director Yogi Filemon Ruiz said a complaint for illegal selling of dangerous drugs will be filed against Bentazal and Dinsay while illegal possession of dangerous drugs will be filed against Cabanda, Tagalog and Bentazal.
In Kamagayan, operatives were able to dismantle a drug den maintained by Gonzales after the operation.
Aside from Gonzales, they were able to arrest Alibay, Tañola, Arnaiz, Pateres and Pacheco, who were in the crime scene during the operation.
Operatives were able to seize 192 ampules containing colorless liquid believed to be nubain worth P38,600; six packs believed to be shabu weighing 75 grams worth P225,000; and several drug paraphernalia from the possession of Gonzales.
Complaints for illegal selling of dangerous drugs, maintaining a drug den, illegal possession of drugs and drugs paraphernalia will be filed against Gonzales while visiting a drug den will be filed against Alibay, Tañola, Arnaiz, Pateres and Pacheco.