Friday, September 26, 2008 Buy-bust vs. 3 men in posh Banilad village yields 50 grams of suspected shabu
THREE men were arrested in a drug buy-bust by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 Tuesday night.
An estimated 50 grams of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu were taken from the suspects.
Supt. Rex Derilo, who led the CIDG operatives, said that the confiscated shabu placed in 10 plastic packs have a market value of P600,000.
He identified the arrested drug suspects as cousins Erik Borja Reyes, 25, and Richter Moreno Borja, 27; and John Emmanuel Tabangin Sison, 23.
Derilo pointed to Reyes as the “star player,” describing him as the one who transacted with the designated poseur buyer, SPO2 Delfin Bontuyan.
Reyes is a Cebuano who resides in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila while his cousin Borja is a resident of Luray II, Toledo City. Sison lives in Quezon City.
In a press conference yesterday, Derilo said the operation was set up after the CIDG 7 received information on the first week of this month on the alleged illegal drug activities of the suspects.
Asset’s help
With the help of an asset, the police operatives managed to close a deal with Reyes by pretending to order two packs of shabu worth P120,000.
They agreed to meet at 10 p.m. at the vicinity of a posh village in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City.
A seven-man team led by Derilo, with Bontuyan serving as decoy, was immediately organized to conduct the operation.
The suspects allegedly arrived at the agreed time on board a rented white Hyundai car (GWZ 848).
As Bontuyan approached the car, Reyes allegedly opened one of the car windows and handed over to Bontuyan the two packs of shabu.
After receiving the illegal drugs, Bontuyan gave the supposed payment, a bundle of boodle money placed inside a brown envelope that was reportedly received by Sison.
Bontuyan then made the pre-arranged signal to the rest of the police operatives who were staying nearby and arrested the suspects.
A search inside the car allegedly yielded eight more packs of shabu placed inside a small box near the car stereo.
The police also found and confiscated one improvised tooter and one Nokia cellular phone inside the car.
The packs of suspected shabu were submitted to the PNP Crime Laboratory 7 for examination.
During the press conference, Reyes declined to categorically confirm his alleged illegal drug trade but said that he got his supplies in Manila. It was reportedly delivered to him through air cargo.
He also said that it passed through the airport inspection because the illegal drugs were separately wrapped in carbon papers before it was placed inside a television set.
Reyes, however, declined to comment further on the allegation saying he would just let his lawyer handle the matter.
Derilo said Reyes will be charged with selling of shabu while his two other cohorts will be charged with possession of shabu and sniffing paraphernalia. (JTG)
