SEVERAL high-powered firearms and ammunition were seized from the house of self-confessed drug lord Franz Sabalones in Sitio Estaca in Barangay Tunghaan, Minglanilla early morning on Friday, March 1.
Armed with a search warrant, operatives of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) searched the house of Sabalones believing that he owned unlicensed firearms, a violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
The police did not find him there and only his common-law wife and their two children were around when operatives arrived in Sabalones's two-story house on Block 3, Lot 11 in Modena Subdivision in Estaca past 7 a.m.
Sabalones, the elder brother of San Fernando Vice Mayor Fralz Sabalones, has been tagged as the second biggest drug lord in Cebu.
He surrendered to then Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa in 2016, but no drug charges were filed against him.
The operation by the Provincial Intelligence Branch and the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit was based on the search warrant issued by Barili Regional Trial Court Branch 60 Judge Leopoldo Cañete.
The teams led by Police Major Christopher Natnat and Police Captain Alejandro Batobalonos found in one of the rooms a 5.56 rifle (M4) loaded with 20 bullets, .45 pistol, KG9 submachine gun loaded with 17 bullets, hand grenade, magazines and a cell phone.
Batobalonos said they have been monitoring Sabalones after they confirmed that he returned to drug trafficking.
The CPPO had received information from Sabalones's neighbors that the drug personality often went to the house.
“Through our surveillance, we confirmed that he often comes here because of his two children,” Batobalonos said.
Past 12 a.m. Friday, March 1, someone saw Sabalones disembark from a black Toyota Vios. He entered the house and left shortly after.
Sabalones’s common-law wife, Wenefreda Misa, 32, denied the reports, saying she had not seen Sabalones in the past six years.
"Ako, akoang bata ug katabang lang ang naa diri. Wa ko gadahom nga ingun ani ni (It’s just me, my children and our helper who live here. I didn’t expect it would come to this)," she said.
Misa said she supported her children by working for an online firm, but she did not elaborate.
The operatives, however, found a ledger showing that she often received an allowance of P100,000 for her children's tuition, utility bills and other household expenses.
The ledger was found on the table inside Misa's room, including several money transfer receipts indicating that she received at least P80,000 possibly from Sabalones.
“She denied having any contact with Franz. But when we got hold of the ledger, she admitted getting in touch with him, though she said at first that the allowance was coursed through Franz’s mother,” Batobalonos said.
The police official said the house in Estaca was not under Sabalones's name.
For her part, Tunghaan Barangay Captain Sarah Alicaway said she was surprised to learn that Sabalones has a house in the village.
“We’re vigilant here in our barangay, that’s why I didn’t think we would have people like these in our village,” she said.
Superbalita Cebu called the cell phone of Sabalones's lawyer, but he did not take the calls. (from AYB of SuperBalita Cebu / KAL)