56-year-old woman slain over illegal drugs
As PDEA 7 admits Cebu is still second to Manila in “drugs marketing”
A 56-year-old woman was gunned down yesterday at Barangay Camputhaw, Cebu City for allegedly embezzling illegal drugs money.
Eram “Emyat” Rodriguez of Upper Purok 3 died from the wound on the right side of her body after an unidentified gunman shot her twice at around 10:30 am. She died on the spot.
The victim, who was only a few steps from a food stall, was shot by the gunman from the side. Bystanders scampered for safety. Rodriguez fell on his back while the assailant casually fled towards Morales Street, towards Gonzales compound.
Two empty shells and a slug from a cal. 45 pistol were recovered at the crime scene.
Camputhaw tanod Danilo Marima said the assailant was wearing shorts and a white shirt.
The gunman reportedly met a minor traffic incident with a private vehicle along Escario Street. Elements from the Mobile Patrol Group and the motorcycleriding police responded but failed to catch the gunman.
Cebu City Police Office Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe rushed to the crime scene from Police Regional Office headquarters while in the middle of the monthly Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis.
Buenafe ordered the homicide section, headed by Sr. Insp. Jul Muhammad Jamiri, for the speedy resolution of the incident.
Jamiri said they learned that the victim was previously apprehended by elements of Police Station 2 or the Fuente Police Station for illegal drugs a few years back.
Based on reports, Jamiri said the victim reportedly embezzled around P30,000 to P50,000 worth of drugs. He added that the victim might not just be a drug user but a peddler.
The victim’s drug activity was confirmed by her niece, Cecilia Palparan, who claimed that her aunt have been using drugs for years. She said Rodriguez’s son is also in jail for a drug case.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency – 7 said Cebu continues to be the second to Manila in terms of “drug marketing.”
This is according to lawyer Mauro Licen, who represented PDEA-7 Director Jigger Montallana, during yesterday’s Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis at Police Regional Office – 7 headquarters.
Licen said that despite continuous demand for drugs in the region, Central Visayas’ drug situation is still “manageable” compared in the past.
He said their constant coordination with the local police has proven effective in cracking down drug operations in Central Visayas. Licen said that for 2011, they confiscated at least P60 million worth of drugs from 849 operations which led to the arrest of 635 drug pushers. The agency also filed 1, 085 charges against culprits.
He said that comparing last year’s figures with 2010, there was a significant improvement in their operation with only 574 anti-drug operations or a total drug confiscation of 40 million.
Sr. Insp. Leoncio Balingit Jr., of the Regional Operations and Plans Division, also said that since the assumption of Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo Jr. as regional director, they have also increased their own antidrug operations in the past six months with a total drug confiscation of P2 million.
Balingit said from Oct. 2011 to Jan. this year, PRO7 had a total of 529 operations, arresting a total of 183 persons which include eight minors and two foreign nationals.
Sr. Supt. Orlando Ualat, PRO-7 chief of staff, said giving of reward money has greatly helped in their antidrug operations.
“It entices them (public) to report the illegal drug operations in their area. It also improves the chances of a successful operation,” he said.