A FORMER mall employee who allegedly sold illegal drugs under the command of a relative, who is in prison in Metro Manila, was arrested in a buy-bust in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City last Wednesday night.
Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 collared 26-year-old Jovannie Quirante Llego.
Llegao could allegedly sell a kilo of shabu per week.
PDEA 7 Director Ronald Allan Ricardo, in a press statement, said they seized 1.2 kilograms of white crystals believed to be shabu from the suspect.
Information officer Leia Albiar said the contraband’s worth is estimated at P1.68 million. However, when it hits the streets, the drug pusher can earn between P12 and P13 million.
She said Quirante’s contact is a certain Edjun, who is reportedly an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Denial
The shabu was reportedly taken from a warehouse in Manila, although Llego’s alleged distribution only covered Cebu City.
Llego, for his part, denied he is a drug pusher, saying someone told him to deliver the shabu in exchange for P5,000.
“First time ni nako. Wala man gud koy trabaho (This is the first time I got arrested. I’m unemployed),” he told reporters. “Nagplano gani ko nga mo-eskwela (I had planned to go back to school).”
Llego said Edjun is his uncle.
The suspect said he ended up delivering the drugs because the person tapped by Edjun to deliver it was not around.
PDEA 7 is also looking for Llego’s cohort, who allegedly can dispose of five kilos of shabu in Cebu City and other parts of Cebu Province.
Llego will face complaints for violating Sections 5 (selling of dangerous drugs) and 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Medellin operation
In the northwestern town of Medellin, two suspected drug pushers were arrested in a buy-bust in Sitio Tac-an, Barangay Kawit yesterday morning.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Regional Public Safety Battalion and PDEA 7 conducted the operation at 9:50 a.m.
The suspects were identified as Adrian Debutak, the subject of the buy-bust, and Ernie and Jerry Barro. Jerry, though, escaped after an alleged shootout with police.
Police said Debutak is a level 1 drug pusher.
Seized from the suspects were 200 grams worth of shabu with an estimated street value of P800,000.
Also seized were a 9mm Luger Machine pistol, an AR 15 Colt rifle, two .45 pistols and one high-explosive hand grenade, some assorted ammunition and firearm parts.
“We believed that their operation is not only in the northern part of Cebu and since Kawit is a mountaneous area, they can also traverse to other provinces, particularly in Tuburan,” said CIDG Regional Chief Senior Supt. Marlon Tayaba.
The suspects said they have a superior who provided their firearms and other sophisticated equipment for their illegal drugs operation.
Meanwhile, police are conducting a manhunt for Jerry, while his two companions will be charged with violating Sections 5 and 11 of the RA 9165.