1 killed, 5 nabbed in drug busts
An alleged notorious drug personality was killed and five others, including an ex-convict of New Bilibid Prison (NBP), were arrested in separate antidrug operations in San Fernando town and in the cities of Naga, Talisay, and Mandaue last Monday.
Jenyo Semilla, 30, was killed in an alleged shootout with the policemen during a buybust operation Monday night in Sitio Reclamation, Barangay Tinaan, Naga City.
Semilla allegedly fired at policemen after noticing their presence.
Superintendent Gergorio Galsim, Naga City police chief, said Semilla was placed under surveillance for weeks before the operation was hatched Monday night.
After the transaction was consummated, Semilla went inside his house and took his .38 caliber pistol. He allegedly fired at the operatives before jumping off the window, prompting them to retaliate.
Semilla succumbed to several gunshot wounds to different parts of his body. He was rushed to Minglanilla District Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.
Four packets of suspected shabu, a gun, and P200 marked money were recovered from the suspect’s possession.
5 NABBED
In a separate development, an ex-convict of NBP in Muntinlupa City, was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 in Barangay Sangat, San Fernando, Cebu on Monday evening.
The suspect was identified as Lee Enad, 50, a resident of the place, and a level 2 high-value target.
PDEA team leader, Earl Rallos, disclosed that Enad has just been released from prison months ago for violating Republic Act or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Enad was placed under surveillance for a month prior to the confiscation of 100 grams of suspected shabu worth P500,000 in Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value.
“Former inmate na siya sa Muntinlupa, actually bata-bata na siya sa mga intsik nga player sad ba, didto nagsugod ang iyang illegal drug trade. Didto pa siya sa sulod nagsugod na siya,” said Rallos.
He added that Enad is a bigtime illegal drug player not only in San Fernando, but also in the entire Cebu City.
Enad allegedly could dispose of 500 grams to one kilo of shabu every week, according to Rallos.
In a separate buy-bust operation in Talisay City yesterday, two street-level drug pushers were arrested by the police.
The suspects were Esteban Layaog, 41, and Jundy Gaviola, 20.
Police Officer 2 James Cabrillos of Talisay City Police said they received reports of a certain “Junior” peddling illegal drugs in Sitio Magay, Barangay Tanke.
Eight small packs of suspected shabu, one .45 caliber pistol with one magazine loaded with four bullets, P500 marked money, and P500 bill believed to be proceeds of illegal drug trade were siezed from Layaog.
Five small packs of suspected shabu were also recovered from Gaviola.
In an interview, both suspects admitted peddling illegal drugs to sustain their families’ needs.
In Mandaue City, police arrested two drug suspects in separate buy-bust operations in Barangay Paknaan. The suspects were identified as Jubirth Judilla Jumaoas, 35, and Filoteo Tantan Maloloy-on, 35.
Senior Superintendent Roberto Alanas, director of Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), said the suspects reportedly are members of Sadaya Drug Group, an alleged syndicate led by a certain Harold Sadaya, a detainee of Mandaue City Jail.
Based on MCPO’s investigation and surveillance, the two suspects are high-value targets operating across Cebu province, including the cities of Mandaue and Cebu.
Both suspects, however, denied being members of the drug syndicate. But they allegedly admitted owning the packs of illegal drugs worth around P60,000.
P19-M ‘SHABU’
SEIZED
Meanwhile, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) seized more than P19 million worth of drugs from 235 personalities during its 40th weekly drive against all forms of dangerous drugs dubbed as "One Time Big Time" (OTBT).
All eleven police stations confiscated a total of 1,624.51 grams of illegal drugs worth P19,176,298.
Bulk of the drugs confiscated was from the simultaneous operations of Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) and City Intelligence Branch (CIB) in Barangays Labangon and Calamba, where operatives recovered 1,247 grams of drugs worth P14,721,680.
Chief Inspector Christopher Navida, CCPO-City Intelligence Branch chief, attributed the success of the fight against illegal drugs to rigorous intelligence gathering.
“Kahit ma-check natin yung mga previous records, malaki ang contribution ng CIB kasi intel works yan. Dedicated kasi ang personnel na nandito kahit limited ang manpower and resources. Yung dedication pa rin naman and willingness nandun,” Navida said.
Navida added CCPO personnel continue to strive for transparency during each illegal drug operation, as well as encourage personalities involved in illegal drugs to surrender willingly to avoid bloodshed.
“Ang parati nating sinasabi, through the help of the media hanggat maari ayaw natin magkaroon ng lost of life during the conduct of police operations. Ini-encourage natin sila na sumuko ng maayos,” Navida said.
All those arrested for the weekly operation are temporarily detained at the respective police stations, while pieces of evidence confiscated were turned over to Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory for assessment and inventory.