THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 arrested seven persons, including a minor, in an anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City. The operatives, though, failed to arrest the person who was the subject of the raid.

The CIDG 7 team led by Supt. Fermin Armendares served a search warrant for drugs against Renante Degolacion in his house in Tumulak Village past noon yesterday.

The team, however, failed to find Degolacion, an alleged drug personality in Sitio Sangi. His wife, Robelyn, was the only one left in the house.

Yesterday’s operation was already the second time Degolacion evaded arrest. Last March 30, he reportedly escaped from a buy-bust conducted by a team from the Lapu-Lapu City Police Station 3.

At that time, police arrested nine persons in a drug den.

While they were searching Degolacion’s house, the CIDG team reportedly found five medium packs of suspected shabu. Armendares estimated the shabu to be worth P295,000.

Robelyn said she was not aware that there were drugs inside the house. Robelyn said that she and Degolacion separated about a year ago. Degolacion, though, sometimes visits their house because of their two children.

Pajo Barangay Captain Junard Chan accompanied the police in the raid to serve as a witness.

Chan advised Robelyn to convince her husband to surrender.

After the raid at Degolacion’s house, the CIDG team checked on two shanties, which were a few meters away, and reportedly caught several persons sniffing illegal drugs.

At the first shanty, police arrested Ken Kikuchi, 22; Roldan Moralde, 48; and Jason Duran, 23. They are all from Lapu-Lapu.

In the other shanty, Armendares’ team arrested Alfred Alviola, 33; Renato Pinote, 31; and a 17-year-old boy.

The suspects did not resist arrest.

Meanwhile, a total of 345 police officers and non-uniformed personnel (NUP) underwent a surprise drug test when Police Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, the new Police Regional Office 7 director, visited the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) yesterday.

Senior Supt. Arnel Amor Libed, director of LCPO, said Taliño also paid a courtesy call on Lapu-Lapu Mayor Paz Radaza.

Libed said the employees were just told to attend the command conference to be led by Taliño.

He said none of the LCPO personnel were found positive for drug use. There were still more than 150 police officers and NUPs that were required to report to the PNP Crime Laboratory 7 to submit themselves to a drug test.

“Pinakautos ng regional director na yung (The main request of the new PRO 7 director was if there are) police drug protector and user, they should stop now,” he said.

Last Friday, 37 station commanders also underwent drug test. None of them tested positive.