By Felipe V. Celino
Three persons were arrested in drug buy-busts in the past two days.
On Thursday, Benedict Cleofas, 48, of Barangay 1; and Rommel Aldea, 35, of Barangay Tiza were collared in a drug bust conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Capiz and Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) of the Roxas City police at Aguinaldo St., Barangay 1.
According to Police Master Sergeant Ramil Arcangeles, information officer of Roxas City PNP, Cleofas was arrested and jailed few months ago for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
Cleofas was freed through plea bargaining agreement.
Arcangeles said they thought Cleofas already abandoned the drug trade, but they were surprised when he returned to his illicit activity.
Police recovered from the suspects three sachets of suspected shabu, PHP1,000 marked money, drug paraphernalia, and two cellphones.
The street value of the seized substance was PHP13,600.
The suspects are detained.
On Wednesday, a 47-year-old man was also arrested in a drug buy-bust operation conducted by the police at Poblacion President Roxas, Capiz.
The suspect was identified as Jose Jay Labargan of Sitio Tinundan, Brgy. Poblacion, President Roxas.
According to Police Major Rachel Garnica, President Roxas police chief, the operation was jointly conducted by police from Pilar, Pontevedra and President Roxas Municipal Police Stations (MPS).
Recovered from Labargan were 9 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 7 grams with estimated market value of PHP91,000; PHP500 marked money; and a cellphone keypad.
Garnica said the suspect drew his drug supplies from neighboring provinces and had been operating in other towns in Capiz.
Labargan is presently detained at the President Roxas police station while charges for violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Article II of RA 9165 were filed against the suspect.
