TWELVE people and at least P210,000 in suspected shabu (crystal meth) fell in the hands of police in two separate anti-illegal drug operations in Cebu City in one night.
The alleged drug pushers who sold shabu to undercover policemen, however, escaped.
The Cebu City Intelligence Branch (CIB), led by Supt. Romeo Santander, is also being accused by one of the escapees of pointing their guns to his children during the raid in Sitio Buli, Barangay Duljo-Fatima at 12:15 a.m. yesterday.
Paul Enolba, who escaped after allegedly handing a sachet to a police poseur-buyer, was later represented by Lawyer Inocencio Dela Cerna Jr. who went to the suspect’s house and complain.
Santander, for his part, said his team is willing to face any complaint filed against them.
Lawyer Inocencio de la Cerna Jr., who is Enolba’s counsel, will lodge the charges before the National Police Commission (Napolcom) , Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and CCPO.
“We will face the complaints in the proper venue,” Santander told Sun.Star Cebu.
He said the accusation won’t stop them from doing their responsibilities as a police intelligence unit.
At large
Enolba remains at large, but nine men found to be sniffing illegal drugs inside a room in his house were arrested.
They were identified as Rene Krizada, 20; Ian Catapan, 22; Peter Castañeda, 24; Eduard Jimenez, 26; Phroel Alonzo, 27; Lloyd Dacayana, 28; Julius Sagario, 33; Orly Oliverio, 35; and Jose Joralden Montes, 43.
Santander said they arrested only the nine men in the pot session. He said they did not interact with the children inside.
The raid also yielded a black box containing 323 sachets of what appeared to be shabu, divided according to their prices-P500, P300, P250, P200, P150, P100 and P80-and some closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras with a television set for monitoring.
Santander said Enolba could have gained some P150,000 for the sales.
Enolba also eluded arrest when the same house was raided by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) last April 17. Police put the blame on the CCTV cameras installed around the house.
Enolba, according to CIDG Assistant Regional Chief Fermin Armendarez III, has been in the drug trade for at least five years.
Santander said Enolba’s usal customers include students and laborers, most of whom would sniff the drug inside Enolba’s house.
Enolba is classified as a level-two drug pusher, who can dispose of at least 200 grams every week.
He reportedly gets his supplies from a drug lord who also supplies drugs to other pushers in Duljo-Fatima.
Sirao raid
In Barangay Sirao, another alleged drug pusher also eluded arrest after he handed a medium sachet of shabu in Sitio Langub at 6:05 p.m.
Nestor “Jimbo” Inocando allegedly rushed to get inside his house when he realized he was dealing with a policeman.
When the operatives of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (CAIDSOTG), led by Senior Insp. Eunil Avergonzado, ran after the suspect, they found him jump through the back window.
The operatives continued to chase the suspect until they reached a forested area, where they lost Inocando.
However, three men were found to be having their pot session inside Inocando’s house.
These were identified as Rolly Borgonia, 23; Jaymark Bontilao, 20; and Elizardo Gualiza, 52.
A medium pack and three small sachets of what appeared to be shabu, which could be sold for at least P60,000 in the street, were also recovered.
The suspects will face criminal complaints for violating Republic Act 9165 or the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.”