A JOINT operation of the policemen from Mandaue and Cebu cities resulted in the arrest of a woman and confiscation of P400,000 worth of drugs in Barangay Mantuyong Mandaue City at 3 p.m. yesterday.
The operation, which was conducted five houses away from a mosque, yielded 50 grams of suspected shabu packed in six medium sized plastic packs and a big plastic pack, said Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) Director Noel Gillamac.
Senior Insp. Alfredo Ortiz of the MCPO led the team that arrested Mila Macabato, 48, a native of Marawi City.
The poseur buyer initially bought from Macabato a pack of shabu, the size of a shampoo sachet or locally known as “bulto,” worth P40,000.
After the drugs and money changed hands, plain-clothes and uniformed personnel took Macabato to a waiting van.
“Sa kakalit sa panghitabo, ang mga taw nakugang,” said Gillamac in explaining why there was no resistance from the neighborhood.
The operatives searched and recovered four more sachets containing a substance believed to be shabu and a bigger pack containing the same substance.
Complaints
Investigators will file drug pushing and drug possession complaints against Macabato, a mother of three.
In an interview, she admitted to reporters that the drugs were taken from her.
Macabato pointed to a certain “Dong,” who belongs to a Maranao tribe like her, as the one supplying drugs.
Gillamac said Macabato gave them a more detailed identity and background of her supplier, though it is confidential and subject to follow-up operation.
Supplier
Macabato, who arrived in Mandaue from Marawi City last November, told reporters that she was forced to sell drugs to survive as her three children live here and her husband is in Marawi working in a farm.
Earlier, Supt. Pablo Labra and Chief Inspector George Ylanan of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) arrested a drug suspect who pointed to Macabato as his supplier.
The CCPO immediately contacted Gillamac, who immediately launched a buy-bust operation, using CCPO’s buy-bust money.
“Dili na siya mobaligya og ginagmay, bulto-bulto bulto jud ang iyahang i-dispose,” Gillamac said referring to the suspect.