Five persons fall in P816K drug sting in Capiz

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Two drug convicts and three others were arrested in a police anti-narcotics operation afternoon of March 29 in Pontevedra, Capiz.

Police identified the suspects as Ermelio Jimenez, 48, and his wife, 58-year-old Gemma Jimenez; Cyril delos Santos, 38; and Adrian Bauson, 46. All are residents of Barangay Tanque, Roxas City, Capiz.

Also arrested was Mart Grace dela Cruz, 29, of Barangat Balintawak, Bantayan Island, Cebu.

Members of the Capiz Police Provincial Office-Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (CPPO-PDEU), together with the Pontevedra Municipal Police Station, collared the five suspects in a buy-bust operation at Jimenez’s rented house in Barangay Intongcan, Pontevedra.

Major Leomindo Tayopon, CPPO-PDEU chief, said Ermelio was the target of the operation.

He and his wife were immediately arrested for conniving to sell a sachet of suspected shabu for P20,000.

Police recovered 24 sachets of suspected shabu, two plastic sachets with residue, a caliber .38 revolver with three ammunitions, a mobile phone, four disposable lighters, two digital weighing scales, three improvised glass tooters, one crumpled used aluminum foil, two scissors, bundles of empty plastic sachets, and a sling bag.

Tayopon said that the seized drugs weighed around 120 grams and were valued at P816,000.

Ermelio and delos Santos were even caught using shabu during the buy-bust, Tayopon added.

The two were previously arrested and subsequently jailed after an anti-illegal drug operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

A few months ago, they were also released from incarceration after availing of the plea-bargaining agreement.

But police recently learned that Jimenez went back to the narcotics business. He was reported to be renting several houses in Capiz province.

Tayopon added that all five suspects are considered high-value targets.

With Ermelio at the helm, he employed delos Santos and Bauson as his runners.

Dela Cruz was allegedly working as a pusher and sourced the shabu from Ermelio.

Tayopon said the suspects got their supply from Metro Manila.

The suspects are now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

A case for violation of RA (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) will also be filed against Jimenez.