FOUR suspects were arrested in separate anti-illegal drug operations carried out by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Central Visayas (PDEA) 7, together with the police in Cebu City and Cebu Province, on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
In Cebu City, PDEA 7 conducted a buy-bust in a drug den around 6:15 p.m. Saturday, leading to the arrest of three suspects.
The operation was conducted with the support of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group/Special Operations Unit 7 and the Cebu City Police Office.
PDEA 7 Director Joel Plaza identified the suspects as alias Apolonio, 64, the main target who allegedly operated the drug den; alias Gilbert, 53, a construction worker; and alias Cyril, 31.
All three are residents of Barangay Labangon, Cebu City.
Seized from them were five packs of shabu weighing 15 grams, with an estimated street value of P102,000, along with several plastic sachets containing shabu residue, buy-bust money, and other drug paraphernalia.
Later, around 9:54 p.m. on the same day, the PDEA-Cebu Provincial Office launched another anti-drug operation in Barangay Lamac, Pinamungajan town, Cebu, which resulted in the arrest of another target.
The suspect was identified as alias Joseph, 42, a motorcycle-for-hire (habal-habal) driver and a resident of the same barangay.
Confiscated from him were six packs of shabu weighing 0.20 grams, valued at P1,360, along with other pieces of evidence now under the custody of the PDEA 7 Regional Office Laboratory for chemical analysis. The suspects were also placed under the custody of PDEA 7.
According to Leia Alcantara, information officer of PDEA 7, the Labangon drug den had been under case buildup for one month, while the Pinamungajan case had been monitored for two weeks.
Both operations stemmed from reliable sources of information, which led to the positive arrests.
Authorities said Apolonio allegedly sold up to 20 grams of shabu weekly, while Joseph was able to dispose of around five grams to his customers.
Apolonio and Joseph will face charges for violation of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), while the two others caught inside the drug den will face charges for violation of Section 11, Article II of the same law. (AYB)