FIVE suspected drug personalities, including a 16-year-old girl, yielding more than P7 million worth of “shabu,” were caught in a series of operations in Mandaue City and Compostela in the past two days.
Nearly 600 grams were seized from them by the operatives of Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO)-City Intelligence Branch (CIB).
MCPO Director Roberto Alanas identified the suspects as Regine Barrera Alinsug, 23; Jennyviev Alemento Perales, 18; Jason Barrieto Damole, 38; Kimberly Camero Avil, 20; and the 16-year-old girl.
The adults allegedly have links with drug personalities in the Mandaue City Jail (MCJ) and National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, said Senior Insp. Marvin Figaredo, the CIB deputy chief.
“Naningkamot mi nga mahurot ni sila kay bati paminawon nga naay drug group nga nag-operate (We try to arrest them all because it doesn’t sound right that there’s a drug group operating),” Figaredo said.
He said Perales admitted she is the girlfriend of Jeppe Rosal, an MCJ inmate who was allegedly the assailant of Poro Police Station Chief Jonas Tajanlangit. Rosal, Arnel Mata, and Mata’s 17-year-old brother were caught in a chase after they attempted to kill a police officer in Liloan last year.
Perales, a Dalaguete native, was caught in her rented house in Sitio Tambis, Barangay Umapad, Mandaue City at 2:41 a.m. yesterday. Umapad was the base of the mega shabu laboratory, which was dismantled after a raid in 2004.
Seized from her were five grams of “shabu” worth P59,000.
Before Perales’s arrest, Figaredo said they served a warrant of arrest for theft against Alinsug in Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City past 10 p.m. last Saturday.
Alinsug has been listed as a high-value target and a member of Almadin drug group, whose leader was caught last month.
The operatives seized a medium pack of “shabu” from Alinsug. During the interview, she admitted that the other players include Perales, who was later caught in a buy-bust.
Perales, after her arrest, told the operatives that one of her suppliers was Damole.
Figaredo said they coordinated with Compostela Police Station and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for another buy-bust in a beach resort in Compostela at 3:07 a.m. yesterday, resulting in the arrest of Damole, 38, and his cohorts—Avila and the minor.
Operatives confiscated 590 grams of “shabu” worth P6,962,000 from the suspects.
Figaredo said they are still looking for the suspects’ other connections.
As to the minor, he said the girl was arrested because packs of “shabu” were also seized from her.
She was possibly used as a drug courier by Damole, Figaredo added.
Damole hails from Liloan, while Avila and the minor are from Danao City.
Aside from facing drug charges with the other suspects, Damole will possibly face a complaint for violating Republic Act (RA) 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
RA 7610 defines child abuse as maltreatment of a minor, which includes “psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment” and “any act by deeds or words which debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being.”
The complaint will be filed if the social worker will not issue a certificate that the minor had discernment of her involvement with the drug trade. (KAL)