PRO8 arrests 8 more drug suspects in Eastern Visayas

The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) is preparing the criminal charges against eight suspects for the violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 after a series of buy-bust and focused police operations over the weekend in Eastern Samar, Leyte and Southern Leyte provinces and Tacloban City. Drug suspects Sandy Diolola and Jerry Godez and the illegal drugs seized from them in a buybust operation by RSOG in Dolores, Eastern Samar recently.

Eastern Visayas police director PCSupt. Elmer R. Soria said the sting operations forms part of the strengthened campaign to address the threat posed by drug abuse and trafficking in the region. “While the illegal drug situation in Eastern Visayas is not alarming, we must continue the crackdown against illegal drug personalities as the success of our campaign would greatly reduce the crime volume in the region,” he added. Soria cited the findings at a forum sponsored by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council led by the Supreme Court in 2011 wherein it was revealed that 60% of criminal cases filed in court are drug-related. “Our anti-illegal drugs drive aims at saving the youth from the evils of drug abuse and minimize its negative impact to society,” the police official averred.

In Maasin City, a buybust at past 10:00 a.m. Saturday by RSOG led by PSInsp. Dinvir Revita led to the arrest of 37-year old Reynaldo Seiga at Brgy. Asuncion. Police seized from the suspect one large heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing suspected “shabu”, two pieces P500-bill buybust money and one unit .9mm caliber pistol marked PT 111 Pro with serial number TCS89630 and two magazines with 13 ammunition. Meantime, Jerry Godez, 51 and Sandy Diolola, 32 were nabbed in a buybust operation and implementation of search warrant by the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) led by PInsp. Constantino Jabonete, Jr. just infront of Dolores National High School and Dolores Elementary School in Brgy. 11, Dolores town in Eastern Samar.nPolice recovered a total of 17 sachet of suspected “shabu” worth P12,000.00 and several drug paraphernalia including the P500-bill buy-bust money.

In St. Bernard, Southern Leyte, 48-year old beautician Gideon Baricuatro was nabbed by RSOG team under PSInsp. Dinvir Revita at Brgy. Himatagon after selling P500 worth of “shabu” to a poseur-buyer. At Osmeña St. in Brgy. Sto. Niño, Isabel, Leyte, one Edsel Consing, 37 and his live-in partner Orbineda Ceno, 33 were arrested in a buybust operation by a police team led by PSInsp. Florando Relente that resulted in the confiscation of 11 sachet of suspected “shabu”, the P500-bill buybust money, P8,900.00 in cash believed to be proceeds of their illegal activity, several US dollar bills and several drug paraphernalia. Drug sting operations in Brgy. Matapay, Hilongos also in Leyte by a police team led by PSInsp. Reynaldo Rosarion also resulted in the arrest of Romeo Abapo, 49 and the seizure of nine sticks of dried marijuana leaves. In Tacloban City, one Mark Morris, 19, was apprehended by SPO3 Raul Delima when he saw the suspect with a protruding handle of a bladed weapon tucked on his right waist than turned out to be a 7-inch bladed weapon locally known as “pisao”.

Body search to the suspect resulted to the discovery of 7 stalks of suspected dried marijuana leaves wrapped in a newspaper and concealed in the suspect’s armpit. Confiscated drugs were brought to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 8 for chemical analysis while suspects were detained at different police station lock-up cells while awaiting trial on the drug and other criminal charges that the police will file against them. Soria added that his office will be relentless in the anti-illegal drug drive as more focused police operations will be conducted by his men.