3 dead, 111 nabbed

Three people were left dead and a total of 111 others, including a former policeman and a pregnant woman allegedly linked to the Parojinog group, were arrested in the wake of simultaneous police operations dubbed as “One-Time, Bigtime” yesterday in Cebu.

Parolito Obrero was killed by the Talisay City police in Barangay Tangke while a certain Phil John Edizan was also shot dead by operatives of Moalboal police in Barangay Poblacion East. They allegedly resisted arrest during separate drug stings.

The third fatality was Eugene Fermin, a subject of a search warrant served by the Mandaue City police.

Police Regional Office-7 chief Debold Sinas said the three suspects tried to engage the police in a gunfight.

“Kung puwede, ayaw nalang mo og pang-away (sukol) kay og mosuway mo og bunot og pusil, the police are mandated to defend themselves,” said Sinas.

Last July, an OTBT operation also led to the deaths of six alleged drug suspects: three in Talisay City, two in Mandaue City, and one in Carmen.

Out of 111 arrested personalities yesterday, 95 fell to the operatives from 50 police stations under Cebu Provincial Police Office. The remaining 16 were arrested by Mandaue City Police Office. The OTBT started at 12 midnight yesterday and ended at 12 noon.

CPPO chief Manuel Abrugena said yesterday’s OTBT led to more arrests compared to the one last month.

“This is because sa support ng mga judge(s) na nakapagbigay sila ng maraming search warrants sa atin. Iyung first we had only three search warrants. Nagpapasalamat kami sa kanila dahil sa tiwala. Nagtitiwala sa professionalism ng ating kapulisan at na seryoso tayo sa campaign against illegal drugs,” said Abrugena.

A total of 37 search warrants were implemented yesterday, 35 by CPPO and two by MCPO. Police stations staged 20 buybust operations, in which operatives seized 354 packs of suspected shabu initally valued at about P2.1 million.

Some 11 suspects facing arrest warrants were also arrested and 21 loose firearms recovered.

Asked if the conduct of the OTBT was a sign that the PRO-7 was weighed down by pressures from President Duterte, Sinas said to the negative.

“We’re not pressured. This plan came ahead pa kay conducting OTBT takes time to plan. Minimum of three weeks kasi we have to find a target, finalize surveillance, test buy, application sa search warrant – daghan og buhaton. Level up ang among operation from a mere buy-bust to search warrant para ang katong mga balay, katong source gyod, masudlan,” Sinas said.

EX-COP AND PREGGY

One of the arrested personalities during the OTBT was a former policeman identified as Alberto Veliganio, 46, a resident of Barangay Talisay, Sta. Fe, Cebu.

Veliganio was arrested by the operatives through raid and allegedly yielded three medium packs and three small packs of suspected shabu.

Police Inspector Jose Ruel Nalzaro, Sta. Fe police chief, told The FREEMAN that their intelligence unit has been monitoring Veliganio for quite some time after receiving several reports regarding his involvement in illegal drugs in the town.

“Kami sa mga kapulisan, gipanghingusgan gyod namo internal cleansing dili lang sa mga aktibo apan apil na pud katong wala na sa serbisyo,” said Nalzaro in a phone interview.

A pregnant woman, who is allegedly connected to the Parojinog group, was also among those arrested in Barangay Basak, LapuLapu City yesterday.

The suspect, Jurilyn Pagalan, a native of Ozamiz City, has been allegedly moving from one place to another in Cebu.

Sinas said she had stayed in Tudela, Talisay City, and Lapu-Lapu City after escaping from the authorities in Ozamiz where she had a pending warrant of arrest for violation of illegal drugs.

Sinas added that they first received reports that Pagalan was residing in Talisay City but police only caught up with her in LapuLapu.

Police are now looking into the possibility that the main source of illegal drugs in Talisay City could be Ozamiz.

“Might be nga gikan didto (Ozamiz). We don’t have evidence nga gikan didto but by the presence (Jurilyn) nga taga-Osamiz, we established the link. We will be finding evidences kung ma-establish gyod. We have suspected sa una nga gikan gyod didto and karon with the presence (of the suspect), we have confirmed our reports nga naa gyod silay transactions nga gidala

ngari,” said Sinas.

GUARD SHOT DEAD

Meanwhile, a security guard was shot dead by unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle at Singson Village, Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City, at around 7 a.m. yesterday.

Police Officer 3 Frederick Andalez of Mandaue City Police Station 2 identified the victim as Wendelou Paciencia, 38.

Paciencia was waiting for his reliever guard when the suspects arrived in the area. One of the suspects, who was wearing a surgical mask, approached Paciencia and shot him several times, hitting him in different parts of his body.

Paciencia died on the spot.

A witness told the authorities that the suspect walked away from the crime scene casually before he and his companion fled.

Authorities recovered six fired cartridges and two live ammunition of caliber .45 in the area.

Investigation is underway to establish the identities of the suspect and their motive.