TWO alleged “confidential agents” were arrested in a police checkpoint in the South Road Properties in Barangay San Isidro, Talisay City last Saturday.
Operatives of the Talisay City Police Station were conducting a checkpoint at the SRP at around 3 p.m. last Saturday when they arrested Van John Villoria, 37; and Ramsam Cejas, 37.
Both men were arrested for possessing two live pistols and two sachets of suspected shabu.
Villoria, a resident of Barangay Mohon, Talisay City, was said to be driving a motorcycle with Cejas when policemen, led by Senior Insp. Edward Villarin, who were conducting a checkpoint ordered them to stop.
PO3 Erwin Carbonquillo, desk officer of the Talisay City Police Station, said they were able to find guns on both suspects after frisking them.
A .38 pistol and one small sachet of suspected shabu were confiscated from Cejas.
A .45 pistol and another small pack of suspected shabu were taken from Villoria.
In a separate interview, Villoria claimed he planned to return the guns to an unidentified friend last Saturday.
Cejas denied carrying a pistol, but admitted he owned the two packs of suspected shabu.
Even Cejas’s sister-in-law, who refused to be identified, admitted that her brother-in-law is into illegal drugs.
But Cejas’s brother, who also didn’t want to be identified, complained that the police didn’t give his sibling a chance to contact any of his family members.
Cejas has an aunt and a cousin living near the police station in Barangay Poblacion, but they were not contacted.
They claimed that Cejas’s family only knew about his arrest when a public official went to the police station to inquire. The public official was reportedly a friend of the family.
Carbonquillo said that both men claimed they’re confidential agents, but they failed to present ID’s to prove their claims.
Liable
In a separate interview, Talisay City Police Chief Germano Mallari said that even if the two suspects are confidential agents, it doesn’t excuse them from the law.
Carbonquillo said the two suspects will be charged with illegal possession of firearms as they don’t have any license for both pistols.
They will also be charged with violating Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Talisay raid
Three men were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Rattan, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City at 9:30 p.m. last June 26, 2016.
Suspects were known as Jason Napalla, 27, his brother Angelo Napalla Jr., 35, both residents of Sitio Rattan, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City; and John Kevin Indiola, 18, of Sitio Tabay, Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City.
The operation was led by Supt. Germano Punay Mallari, SPO2 Cecilio Miñoza, SPO1 Edgar Causon, SPO1 Benjamin Sebellita, SPO1 Isaias Cabuenas, PO3 Ferdinand Pablo, PO3 Jason Del Campo, PO2 Edwin Campomanes and PO1 Othello Victor Largo who are currently off-duty.
During the operation, the suspect, Jason Napalla, immediately dropped the marked money and ran away upon sensing that he was having a transaction with a police officer. The team tried to chase him, but was blocked by his brother Angelo and Indiola.
The team found a total of 22 sachets containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu (two from Jason, ten from Angelo and ten from John Kevin), all worth P10,384 and a total estimated weight of .88 grams, and two P200 bills from Jason Napalla.
“Ingon sa usa ka suspek nga shabu gyud to siya,” said Talisay City Police Station officer-on-duty PO3 Erwin Carbonquillo.
One of the suspects, Angelo, denied that he owned or sell drugs.
“Dili kay pagkoan nila kay na-ratol man ko. Nidagan ra sad ko,” he said.
The evidences were submitted to the PNP Crime Laboratory 7, Camp Sotero Cabahug, Gorordo Ave., Cebu City for examination. Jyda Yeecynth L. Ang and Vania Mae Lim, USJ-R interns