By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — Five illegal drug suspects were apprehended in three separate buy-bust operations in this capital town and Boracay recently.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 operatives arrested 32-year-old Saidy Elias of Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, in a restaurant along Osmeña Avenue here on Saturday.
Recovered from him were 10 big sachets of suspected shabu and a mobile phone containing text messages on drug transactions.
Elias was supposed to deliver the illicit substance to the poseur buyer in Boracay, but the arresting team and the suspect agreed to have the “deal” in Kalibo instead.
PDEA agents took the suspect to Iloilo City for the filing of charges against him.
Another sting operation here led to the arrest of Gladys Macabales, 21, of Brgy. Tigayon and Benedict Cañal, 24, of Sitio Ilang-ilang, Brgy. Andagao.
They were collared after handing to a poseur buyer a sachet of shabu in exchange for P1,000 in Park Homes 3, Brgy. Andagao, on Thursday evening.
Further seized from the suspects were eight plastic sachets of shabu, mobile phones, and aluminum foil and other drug paraphernalia.
Operatives of the Kalibo police station and the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG) staged the buy-bust.
In the operation in Boracay, PAIDSOTG and the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center arrested Rodel Catupang, 22, of Santo Tomas, Batangas, and Kenneth Ledesma, 22, of Roxas City, Capiz.
The buy-bust was conducted in Sitio Tulubhan, Brgy. Manoc-Manoc on Friday evening.
Operatives recovered from them six small sachets of shabu, mobile phones and the P1,000 marked money.
They also confiscated from Ledesma a revolver containing four live ammunition.
All suspects were facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
